MELANOFTERYX. HYPnANTORNIS. 351 



Melanopteryx castaneofusca (Less.). 



Cinn.inioplorvx castaneofuaca, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. xiii. p. 472 



(1890) ; "Shelley, Birds Afr. iv. p. 357 (1905). 

 Ifyphantornis castaneofusca, Kuschel, J.f. O. 1895, p. 334. 

 Ploceus ca.staneofuscus, Reich. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 53 (1004). 

 Melanopteryx castaneofusca, Sharpe, Hand-l. v. p. 470 (1909) ; Nehrk. 



Kat. Eiersamml. p. 337 (1910). 



Two eggs of the Chestnut-and-Black Weaver-Finch, laid in 

 captivity, are of a rather long pointed oval form and slightly glossy. 

 One is pale blue, the other pale bluish-white, without any markings. 

 They measure respectively : 1/0 by "66, and -98 by -68. 



2. Laid in captivity (Dr. Kuttcr). Crowley Bequest. 



Melanopteryx rubiginosa (Riipp.). 



Cinnamopteryx rubiginosa, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. M. xiii. p. 473 (1890). 

 Plocous rubiginosus, Reich. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 55 (1904). 

 Ilyphantornis rubiginosus, Shelley, Birds Afr. iv. p. 432 (1905). 

 Melanopteryx rubiginosa, Sharpe, Hand-l. v. p. 470 (1909). 



Seven eggs of Kiippell's Chestnut Weaver-Finch vary from a 

 regular oval to a rather pointed oval shape, and are slightly glossy. 

 They are uniform pale bright blue or deeper blue tinged with 

 greyish. They vary in length from '83 to *88, and in width from 

 56 to -65. 



4. Njemps, Lake Baringo, 13th July. F. J. Jackson, Esq. [C.]. 

 3. Njenijw, 13th July. F. J. Jackscn, Esq. (_C.J. 



Genus HYPHANTORNIS, Gray. 



Hyphantornis femininus, Grant. 



(Plate XV. figs. 2 & 3.) 



llyphantovnis abyssinicus, Shelley, Birds Afr. iv. p. 429 (1905) [part.]. 

 Ploceus abyssinicus, Reich. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 57 (1904) [part.]. 

 Hyphantoruis femininus, Grant, Butt. B. O. C. xxi. p. 15 (1907) ; Sharpe, 

 Hand-l. v. p. 470 (1909) ; Grant, Trans. Zool. Soc. xix. p. 277 (1910). 



Thirteen eggs of the Uganda Black- and- Yellow Mantled Weaver- 

 Finch are all of a rather long pointed oval shape and have little or 

 no gloss. The ground varies from white to pale greenish-white, 

 greenish-blue, and pale blue. Some examples are uniform or 

 nearly so, others are more or less profusely marked with small 

 spots and sometimes small blotches of reddish-lilac or reddish- 

 brown and pale lavender-grey. They vary in length from *90 to 

 98, and in width from *59 to -05. 



