51 



with rusty white. Length 4| inches. Inhabits the country 

 beyond Kurrichaine. 



This may belong to the Genus Euplectes. On examining- the first 

 specimen obtained I was disposed to regard it as the Euplectes Taha, 

 in its winter plumage, which impression was subsequently removed 

 on comparing the two birds and hearing the statements of the natives 

 regarding their nests. The Euplectes Taha builds amongst reeds, the 

 Ploceus dubius upon trees. 



Sub-genus PLOCEPASSER.* 



Bill conical, pointed; culmen arched and entering between 

 feathers of forehead ; edges of upper mandible slightly waved ; 

 nostrils basal, rounded, and open; rictus slightly bristled; 

 wings rather long, third and fourth quills equal ; tail slightly 

 rounded ; tarsi moderate, outer and inner toes of equal length ; 

 claws slightly curved and rather blunt. 



Plocepasser Mahali. Upper part of head, and a longitudinal 

 stripe on each side of neck, black-brown ; eyebrows white ; 

 sides of head brown ; sides of neck, interscapulars, and back, 

 light brown ; rump, upper and under tail coverts, chin, and 

 throat, pure white ; breast and belly dull white, faintly 

 clouded with brown ; wing coverts and scapulars dark brown, 

 the former tipt with white so as to form two oblique lines of 

 that colour on the wings ; tail black-brown tipt with white. 

 Length 6 \ inches. Inhabits the country between the Orange 

 Eiver and the Tropic. 



Genus LOXIA. And. 



Loxia Lathamii. Above brown, the interscapulars and wing 

 coverts edged and tipt with pale rufous or rusty white ; chin, 

 middle of belly, vent, and under tail coverts, white ; breast and 

 sides of belly rusty white, the latter and sides of breast faintly 

 clouded with brown. Length 4 inches. Inhabits the country 

 near to and beyond Kurrichaine. 



I have not ventured to assign this species to a Sub-genus, as the 

 different forms cannot here be ascertained. 



Sub-family AGELAIN^E. Sw. 



Genus BUBALORNIS. 



Bill elongated, pointed, slightly compressed towards the point; 

 culmen arched and entering between the feathers of forehead ; 

 nostrils basal subcylindrical and open ; rictus slightly bristled; 

 wings rounded, third fourth and fifth quills equal; tail 

 moderate, rounded ; tarsi and acrotarsia divided, the divisions 

 of latter in part obsolete ; outer and inner toes equal ; claws 

 short, slightly curved, and blunt. 



* The Ploceus superciliosus, of Euppel, may perhaps belong to this grou 



pei, may pernaps oeiong to tnis group. 



D 2 [117] 



