PLOCEPASSER MAHALL— Smith.* 



AvES. — Plate LXV. — Male. 



P. fronte, capite supra, nuclia, taniolaque ab angulo oris ad cervicem nigro-bninneis ; cervice supra, 

 dorsoque pallide flavo-brunncis ; alis faciis duabiis transversis flavo-albis notatis ; subtus albus, 

 pectore ventreque rufo-flavo-tinctis. Rostro pedibusque flavo-brunneis, brunneo-rubro iimbratis. 

 Oculis profundi' rubro-aurantiis. 



LoNGiTrDo corporis cum capite, + uuc. 2 lin. ; caudfe 2 uuc. 6i lin. 



Colour. — The forehead, the top of the head, the nape, the lores, and a stripe 

 from the angles of the mouth to the top of the neck, liver-brown ; the sides of the 

 head and ear-coverts broccoli-brown, tinged with yellowish brown ; eyebrows 

 broad, and of a dusky white colour. The upper and lateral parts of the neck, 

 the interscapulars, the back, and the lesser wing-coverts intermediate between 

 broccoli and wood-brown ; the last row of the lesser wing-coverts are broadly 

 tipped with cream-yellow, and thus an oblique band of that tint is formed in 

 front of the quill coverts : the primary and secondary quill-coverts are livid 

 lunber-brown, and the latter is broadly tipped with pale cream-yellow, 

 forming a second oblique bar parallel with the one just described. The 

 primary and secondary quill-coverts are light liver-brown, the former nar- 

 rowly the latter broadly margined with rusty white; the rump and upper 

 tail coverts yellowish white ; the tail-feathers liver-brown tipped and narrow ly 

 edged externally with rusty white. The chin, the throat, the vent, the under 

 tail-coverts and the thighs dusky white ; the breast, the belly, and the flanks 

 dirty cream-yellow, inclining to pale wood-brown. Bill dull yellowish brown, 

 shaded with brownish red ; legs, toes, and claws the same colour. Eyes 

 deep brownish orange. 



Form, &c. — Figure rather robust, and when the bird is perched, or moving 

 on the ground, it has much of the appearance of a Ploceiis. Head rather 

 large ; bill conical, pointed, and slightly compressed at the sides ; the lower 

 mandible received between the cutting edges of the upper ; the culmen 

 slightly arched, and entering between the feathers of the forehead. Wings 

 moderately long, and rather rounded, the longest primaries about three- 

 quarters of an inch longer than the secondaries ; w hen closed they reach 

 rather beyond the first half of the tail; the first quill feather rudimentary, 

 the second and third equal and longest, the fourth slightly shorter ; tail square 

 at the point, or very slightly forked. Tarsi and toes robust, the former with 



* Pheqmsser, Smith, June, 1836. Ar/rophilus, SwaiusoD, 1837 



