AMADINA ERYTHROCEPHALA, 



base of the bill angular, that of the lower is inverted ; space between eye and 

 angle of mouth nearly bare. Wings rounded and when folded cover the 

 first half of the tail ; the first quill feather is rudimentary, the third is the 

 longest, the second and fourth are equal and rather shorter than the third, 

 the fifth, sixth, and seventh, are successively shorter, — the diiFerence between 

 each, as well as between the fifth and fourth, about a line and a half. Tail 

 graduated, the two centre feathers considerably the longest, and also the 

 most pointed. Legs short and moderately robust, anteriorly scutellated, 

 posteriorly entire; toes strong, the middle one much the longest, the external 

 and internal ones nearly of equal length, the hinder toe short and powerful ; 

 the claws short and slightly curved. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inches. Lines. 

 Length from the point of the bill to 



the tip of the taU 5 C 



Length of the bill 5 



of the wings when folded ... 2 11 



ofthetail 2 3 



Length of the tarsus 



of the outer toe 



of the inner toe 



of the middle toe 



of the hinder toe 



Female. — With the exception of the head, the colours are like those of the 

 male, only lighter, and not so vivid ; the head in the female is of the same 

 colour as the back. 



Young. — Colours similar to those of the female. 



All the examples that we saw of this species occurred in the neighbourhood of Latakoo, and in 

 the situations in which we discovered them we invariably found numbers congregated together. 

 The individuals which composed the flocks were generally seen feeding upon the ground near 

 to the gardens of the natives, and when they were disturbed, they, according to circumstances, 

 either repaired to the hedges or shrubs in the immediate neighbourhood, or to some more distant 

 locality. While feeding or flying, they uttered harsh chirping sounds, and on no occasion any 

 thing like a musical note. 



