252 F. Yinn — Notes on the Ploceidm. [No. 4, 



Excluding, then, the two very easily distinguishable species 

 T. bengalensis and F. manyar, typical males in summer plumage, of the 

 remaining species, may be distinguished as follows : — 



Size largest; entire under-surface yellow, ... P. megarhynchus. 

 ,, smaller ; throat blackish ; breast buff, ... P. atrigula. 

 „ smallest; tliroat dull black ; breast yellow, 



abdomen white ... ... ... P. haya. 



For the distinction of males in undress and females size will be the 

 best guide, though this may not be very reliable in view of the pro- 

 bable occurrence of many intermediate specimens. 



2. On the Interbreeding of certain species of Munia. 



In January, 1897, I procured alive, in Tiretta Bazaar, Calcutta, a 

 specimen of a Munia agreeing with Munia vialacca in its general charac- 

 ters, but having the white portions of the plumage suffused with 

 chestnut, and during the present year I have detected in cages of 

 M. malacca many specimens showing more or less of this rufous colour- 

 ation below, and have secured some for the Museum. 



It is this occasional variation of the white lower parts, no doubt, 

 which is alluded to by Mr. E. Bartlett (Monograph of the Weaver-birds, 

 &G.), under this species, in his description of the female, which, he sajs, 

 has "the white chest and sides strongly tinged with creamy-buff." But 

 among the rufous-washed specimens procured by me most turned out 

 to. be males, while even the small series at present possessed by this 

 Maseum of the pure M. malacca shows that the underparts of the female 

 are white like those of the male, as stated by Dr. R. B. Sharpe (Brit. 

 Mas. Oat. Birds, vol. XIII, p. 331) and implied by Di-. A. G. Butler 

 (Finches and Weavers in Captivity,- p. 244). 



This colouration is evidently not a stain (like the rusty tinge on the 

 under-plumage of waterfowl, wbich I have seen assumed in a single night 

 by a male Pintail {Dafila acuta) kept unpinioned on the Museum tank, 

 which he used to leave and return to). I conclude this to be the case 

 from finding the other birds in the cages with the tinted ones to be 

 clean and pure white, and from the fact that immature birds still show- 

 ino- the light-brown plumage moult out either rusty or pure white below, 

 according to the colours shown at first. I have tested this in three 

 specimens kept by Major Alcock in his aviary, two of which have 

 proved to be hens, and one a cock. 



This departure from the typical colouration of M. malacca is no 

 doubt caused by casual interbreeding with the nearly allied M. atricapilla, 

 and a similar explanation would no doubt apply to the yellow- 

 marked specimens of Ploceus atrigula alluded to above. It w^ould, how- 

 ever, be satisfactory to have the fact placed beyond doubt by pairing 



