262 ESTKELDIN.E. 



free; wings short; first primary minute, the three next nearly equal ; 

 tail moderate or short, rounded or wedged ; tarsus stout, moderate ; 

 toes long, slender ; claws long. 



Aniadina malacca, Lin. 



(597. Munia malacca, Lin. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 



p. 352 ; Butler, Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 415. 

 THE BLACK-HEADED MUNIA. 



Length, 4'5 ; wing, 2'6 ; tail, T5. 



Bill bluish, yellowish at tip ; hides dark-brown ; legs plum- 

 beous. 



Whole head, neck, and breast, rich black ; back, wings, and 

 tail, pure rich cinnamon-red ; upper tail-coverts brighter tinged, 

 and with a glistening lustre ; beneath, from the breast, white, 

 with the middle of the abdomen and vent black. 



Young birds of the year have the upper parts plain rufescent- 

 brown, and the lower parts pale-buff, the chin and throat being 

 albescent, and the lores dusky. 



The Black-headed Munia is a common seasonal visitant about 

 Belgaum, breeding abundantly during the rains, in the sugar- 

 cane fields. The eggs are not distinguishable from those of A. 

 malabarica. 



Amadina rubronigra, Hodgson. 



698. Munia rubronigra, Hodgs. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. 

 II, p. 353 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 415. 



THE CHESNUT- BELLIED MUNIA. 



Length, 4'5; wings, 2' 12 ; tail, To ; tarsus, 0'5 ; bill at front, 

 0-5. 



Bill plumbeous ; irides dark-brown ; legs plumbeous. 



Head, neck, and breast, black ; rest of the plumage deep chesnut 

 or cinnamon, passing to glistening marone on the upper tail-coverts, 

 and tinged with fulvous on the tail ; a stripe down the middle of 

 the belly, vent, and under tail-coverts, black. 



The Chesnut-bellied Munia is a very rare straggler to parts of 

 the Deccan. 



Amadina punctulata, Lin. 



699. Munia undulata, Lath. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 

 p. 354 ; Butler, Guzerat ; Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 495 ; 

 Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 415. 



THE SPOTTED MUNIA. 



Length, 4'5 ; wing, 2'2 ; tail, 1'5 ; tarsus, 0'75 ; bill at front, 0'4. 



Bill plumbeous ; irides brown ; legs plumbeous. 



Above ruddy-brown, deeper on the head and neck, inclining 

 to whitish on the rump, and the upper tail-coverts and margins of the 

 lateral tail-feathers, glistening fulvous ; quills, chesnut externally, 

 dusky within ; beneath, the chin and throat, with the face and ear- 



