156 



a. Nasal bones produced backwards beyond the 



front of orbit; mandible very powerful and 



deep posteriorly ; angle of gonys very slight ... Coccotliraustince. 



b. Nasal bones not produced beyond the front of 



orbits. 



a 1 . Cutting edges of mandibles in contact through- 

 out ; the angle formed by the lower mandible 

 at chin very slight FringilUnee. 



6 1 . Cutting edges of mandible not everywhere in 

 contact, a gap being left. Angle at chin 

 more acute Emberizince. 



The Coccothraustina are not represented in South Africa. 



Subfamily I. FEINGILLIN^E. 



This subfamily includes the Sparrows, Canaries and Seedeaters, 

 as well as other Finches with a bill of medium size, with the edges 

 of the two mandibles in contact throughout. They have one 

 complete annual moult, in autumn, and a change of colour in spring 

 from the falling off of the tips of the feathers. The young resemble 

 the females; the latter are generally of duller colours than the 

 males. Sixty species are Ethiopian, eighteen South African. 



Key to the Genera. 



a . Wing longer : falling short of the tail-tip by less 



than the length of the tarsus ; nostrils ex- 

 posed ; a yellow throat-spot Petronia, p. 157. 



b. Wing shorter : falling short of the tail-tip by 



more than the length of the tarsus ; nostrils 

 more or less concealed by plumes ; no yellow 

 throat-spot. 



a 1 . Bill somewhat elongated, the upper mandible 

 deeper than the lower. 



a 3 . Head uniform, unstreaked Passer, p. 159. 



b 2 . Head dark brown streaked with white Poliospiza, p. 164. 



b 1 . Bill shorter, the upper mandible about as deep 

 as the lower ; both culmen and gonys much 

 curved. 



c 2 . No chestnut-red in the plumage Serinus, p. 166. 



d 2 . Back chestnut-red or brown Alario, p. 179. 



c 1 . Outline of culmen and gonys, as well as the 



sides of bill much straighter Chrysomitris, p. 181 . 



