190 



Tavoy. To the east, in China, this species is replaced by an allied 

 race M. topela. 



Habits, <$fc. Breeds almost throughout the year. The eggs 

 measure about *65 by *46. 



Genus ERYTHRURA, Swains., 1837. 



The genus Erythfura contains one species of Munia, the pre- 

 vailing colours of which are green and crimson. The sexes are 

 slightly different. In the male the tail is longer than the wing ; 

 in the female it is considerably shorter. The middle pair of tail- 

 feathers is very narrow and pointed. 



736. Erythmra prasina, The Long-tailed Munia. 



Loxia prasina, Sparrm. Mus. Carls, pis. 72, 73 (1788). 



Erythrina prasina (Sparrm.}, Blyth, Cat. p. 118. 



Erythrura prasina (Sparrm.}, Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 503 ; Hume fy 



Dav. S. F. vi, p. 405; Hume, Cat. no. 703 ter; Oates, B. B. i, 



p. 370; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 381. 



Coloration. Male. Lores and a narrow line to the nostril black ; 

 forehead, cheeks, round the eye, chin, and throat blue ; upper 

 plumage, wing-coverts, and tertiaries bright green ; lower rump 

 and upper tail-coverts crimson ; middle pair of tail-feathers dull 

 red, the others brown tipped with greenish; primaries and secon- 

 daries black, margined with green ; ear-coverts and sides of the 

 neck green ; lower plumage buff, except the middle of the abdomen, 

 which is crimson. 



Female. Resembles the male in general appearance, but has the 

 blue of the forehead, cheeks, and round the eye replaced by green 

 with a slight blue tinge, and the blue of the chin and throat replaced 

 by greenish buff; the crimson on the abdomen is absent, that part 

 being buff like the remainder of the lower plumage. 



The young resemble the female in general appearance, but have 

 the upper tail-coverts and middle pair of tail-feathers yellowish, 

 not crimson. 



Legs, feet, and claws fleshy pink : bill black ; iris dark brown 

 (Hume 6f Dav.}. 



Length of male about 6 ; tail 2-8 ; wing 2-3 ; tarsus -6 ; bill from 

 gape -55. Length of female nearly 5 ; tail 1-6 ; other parts as in 

 the male. 



Distribution. The extreme south of Tenasserim, extending down 

 the Malay peninsula and to Sumatra, Java, aud Borneo. 



Genus STICTOSPIZA, Sharpe, 1890. 



The genus Stictospiza contains a single species of Munia of a 

 green colour. The female differs from the male chiefly in being 

 paler. In this genus the middle tail-feathers are broad and 

 rounded, and not narrow and pointed as in the preceding genera. 



