from the Colony of Natal. 269 



[I am indebted to Dr. Hartlaub for the identification of this 

 specimen, an immature male. — J. H. G.] 



267. EuPLECTES suNDEVALLi, Bp. Sundevall's Bishop-bird. 

 These beautiful birds are not at all common in Natal ; they 



are generally found in small families ; they frequent the reedy 

 banks of some of the rivers on the coast, and often attack the 

 crops of oats in the ear ; the bright plumage is only assumed 

 during the summer months. Of their habits I know little or 

 nothing. 



268. EuPLECTES CAPENsis (Linn.). Yellow-backed Bishop- 

 bird. 



Male in winter plumage. Irides dusky ; bill pale dusky ; tarsi 

 and feet light brown. 



These birds frequent more particularly the hills fifteen or 

 twenty miles inland. In summer the males have a good deal 

 of glossy black about them. They are found in small families 

 in the open fields, and feed principally on grass seeds. 



269. BusERiNUs suLPHURATUs (Linn.). Sulphureous Finch. 

 Female. Iris dusky hazel ; bill, upper mandible dusky yellow, 



the under palish yellow ; tarsi and feet dusky. 



These birds are tolerably common ; they feed upon the hard 

 nutty seeds of small berries, common to many of the shrubs in 

 Natal; the shell they appear easily t-o break, and then devour 

 the kernel. 



270. EsTRELDA NiTiDULA, Hartl., sp. nov. Little Spotted- 

 bodied Finch. 



Sex uncertain. Shot by Mr. Norris. 



This is a very scarce bird here ; of its habits I know nothing. 



[Dr. Hartlaub informs me that this is a species hitherto un- 

 described. He has named it as above, and has been so good as 

 to furnish me with the following specific description, viz. : — 



" Olivaceo-virescens, uropygio et supracaudalibus flavo-viren- 

 tibus, macula anteoculari abindeque circa mandibulse basin 

 ducta fulvo-aurantia ; subalaribus olivaceo et albido variis, 

 abdomine maculis rotundatis albis nigro circumdatis pulchre 

 guttato, Cauda et alis olivaceis, rostro nigro, pedibus plum- 

 beis. 



" Long. 3" 2'" ; rostr. 3i"' ; al. 1' 9'" ; caud. 1" 2'" ; tars. 6'"." 



