Birds of Celebes: Ploceidae. 541 



Distribution. "Breeds throughout Northern Europe and Siberia, above the hmits of forest- 

 growth. Occasional in England and Western Europe on migration. Winters in 

 Egypt and North-eastern Africa, Persia, and North-western IntUa, but principally in 

 Southern Cliina and the Burmese countries extending at least to Borneo . . . has 

 been met with in winter as far south as Cahfornia" (Sharjie 2). 



In the East India Islands: PluHi:)i)ines — Mindanao and Basilan (Steere 6j, 

 Palawan (Everett S); West Borneo (Everett 5); North Celebes — Mt. Soputan 

 (P.&F. Sarasin 9). 



A single example of this wide-spread migrant was obtained on the svimmit 

 c. 6000 ft. of Mount Soputan in the Minahassa on April 29'\ 1895, by the Drs. 

 Sarasin. 



It is distinguishable from A. gustavi by having almost no white on the 

 second rectrix, by its smaller bill, by the greyer brown — not tawny-olive — 

 tint of the upper surface, and in the summer and old-male dress by the vinous- 

 rufous throat. 



Compared with two examples from Archangel the specimen from Celebes 

 has a decidedly small bill and a paler upper surface. 



FAMILY PLOCEIDAE. 



The Passeres of Celebes hitherto treated of have been more or less in- 

 sectivorous birds ; the present family and the hardly separable Fringillidae are 

 in the main seed-eaters. Sharpe (Cat. B. XIII, 1890, 198) and Oates (Fauna 

 Brit. India, Birds II, 1890, 174) divide the Ploceidae into two subfamilies, the 

 Ploceinae, or Weaver-birds, with the first primary about as long as the tarsus, and 

 the Viduinae, in which the first primary is reduced to a minute pointed feather, 

 not likely to be noticed unless looked for, a subfamily embracing the Widow- 

 birds and Munias. The true Vidimiae , or Widow-birds, form, as Newton re- 

 marks (D. B. p. 1028), a very natural group, and it is jjreferable to hold the other 

 forms apart as Estrildinae. Perhaps the character: tail shorter than the wing — 

 may serve to distinguish the latter, which alone occur in Celebes. 



GENUS MUNIA Hdgs. 



The size of a Sparrow or less. Bill very stout, conical, generally shorter 

 than the cranium, the maxilla without a ridged culmen, broad, raised above the 

 level of the cranium, the culmen posteriorly forming an apex which parts the 

 anterior frontal feathers mesially ; nostrils in front of the forehead, more or less 

 concealed; tomia not denticulated; wing longer than tail, 2"* and 3"^ jjrimaries 

 longest, the 1'' very minute; tail graduated to nearly square; tarsus shorter than 

 middle toe and claw, anteriorly scutellated. The eggs are white, the nest of 

 grasses, etc., round, with the entrance in the side. 



Found in the Indo-Australian area, and in Eastern Africa. 



