Whydah-Like Weavers. 



65 



Long-tailed Whydah (Chera pror.ne). 



The male in breeding plumage is glossy black, the lesser coverts 

 scarlet, median coverts yellowish-white, greater coverts and nights 

 edged with white or pale brown; feet flesh coloured. The hen has 

 very much the character and pattern of our Corn Bunting, but has 

 tawny-reddish lesser wing-coverts. The male in winter plumage is 

 very similar ; but, as Captain Shelley says, " differs in the wing 

 being similar to that of the male in breeding plumage, only with the 

 pale edges of the greater coverts and secondaries broader." 



Red-collared Whydah (Penthetria ardens). 



The male in breeding plumage is black, with a broad scarlet collar 

 across the base of the throat ; the female is smaller and somewhat 

 like a Pipit in colouring and general pattern ; above pale brown, 

 with black centres to feathers ; a well-defined yellowish-white eye- 

 brow streak and a patch of the same colour under eye ; a loi - al band 

 and another behind eye black ; ear-coverts bufhsh-brown ; under 

 parts buff, yellower on chin and upper throat ; lower throat, front, 

 and sides of chest tawny-brownish streaked with blackish. The 

 male in winter plumage is similar to the female but larger, and with 

 blacker centres to the feathers on the upper surface ; the inner lining 

 of the wing black instead of dusky ash, and the under tail-coverts 

 black-centred. 



7P 



PARADISE whydah. 



Paradise Whydah (Steganura paradisea). 



In summer plumage the male is black, with a broad collar, 

 continuous with a broad diffused belt crossing the breast chestnut ; 

 the abdomen white ; tail very long, and lengthening with age up to 

 I3| inches according to my specimens. The hen, roughly described, 

 is an ashy brown bird with dark centres to feathers, the neck 

 and mantle washed with bufnsh ; crown bullish- white, black-mottled, 

 with a broad black streak on each side ; a nearly white eyebrow- 

 stripe bounded from behind eye by a black streak ; chin and throat 

 whitish; breast ashy brown, mottled ; abdomen and under tail-coverts 

 ashy-whitish. The male in winter plumage nearly resembles the 



