ESTRELDIN.E. 263 



coverts, rich chesntft ; breast and flanks white, with numerous 

 zig-zag cross bars of black ; lower abdomen, vent and under tail- 

 coverts, whitish unmarked. 



With the exception of Sind, the Spotted or Barred Munia 

 occurs throughout our limits, but is very locally distributed. 

 It is a permanent resident, breeding during July and August 

 The eggs, five to eight in number, are of the usual glossless, dead- 

 white color. They measure 0*65 in length by about 0'46 in 

 breadth. 



Amadina pectoralis, Jerdon. 



700. Munia pectoralis, Jerd. Jerdon's Birds of India, Yol. II, 

 p. 355 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 415. 



THE RUFOUS-BELLIED MUNIA. 



Length, 4'5 ; wing, 2 '2 ; tail, 17 ; tarsus, 0'6. 



Head, neck, and back, brown ; the shafts of the feathers pale ; 

 upper tail-coverts dark-brown, the feathers tipped with glistening 

 yellow ; wings and tail dark-brown ; face, forehead, throat, and 

 breast, dark brown, strongly contrasting with the sides of the 

 neck ; lower parts from the breast reddish-fawn color ; under 

 tail-coverts dark-brown with pale shafts. 



The Rufous-bellied Munia has been procured but very rarely in 

 the jungles west of Belgaum. 



Amadina striata, Lin. 



701. Munia striata, Lin. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 

 p. 356 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 416. 



THE WHITE-BACKED MUNIA. 



Length, 4'5 ; wing, 2*1 ; tail, 1*6. 



Bill bluish ; irides brown ; legs dark slaty. 



Plumage above rich dark brown, deepest on the head, and the 

 feathers white-shafted ; rump white ; tail almost black ; beneath 

 from chin to breast uniform deep blackish-brown ; belly, flanks, 

 and vent white ; under tail-coverts and thigh-coverts brown. 



The middle tail-feathers exceed the outermost by nearly half 

 an inch. 



The White-backed Munia is a common permanent resident all 

 along the Sahyadri Range, and in the adjoining forest, but seems 

 to be confined to the Ghats region. 



Amadina malabarica, Lin. 



703. Munia malabarica, Lin. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 

 p. 357 ; Butler, Guzerat, Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 496 ; 

 Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 416 ; Murray's Vertebrate 

 Zoology of Sind, p. 182 ; Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India ; 

 Ibis, 1885, p. 129. 



THE PLAIN BROWN MUNIA. 

 Length, 5 ; wing, 212 ; tail, 2. 



