on Birds from Shendi, Sudan. 9 
clearly distinguished between the two forms. P. frontalis 
differs from P. melanauchen in having no black nuchal 
bandj which in the latter is more or less fully connected 
with the black of the under surface. The white patch 
on the forehead extends backwards as far as the eyes, 
being thus twice the size of the white spot on the forehead 
of P. melanauchen. The upper surface is much more sandy 
buff, not nearly so grey and brown as in the Abyssinian 
form. 
These birds were less common at Shendi than the preceding 
species. In their habits they are very similar _, but whereas 
P. melanocephala is a frequenter of the river- bank_, this 
species is essentially a bird of the desert^ very seldom being 
seen near the water. In colour they harmonize perfectl}? 
with their surroundings and are very difficult to see, the 
coal-black breast and under parts of the male looking exactly 
like the shadow of a stone or of some sliglit inequality of 
the ground. 
14. Emberiza cjhsia Cretzsch. 
77 S, 57 (?, 74 S, 186 S, 89 S, ?232 $ , 281 ? . 
Not very common at Shendi, and, owing to its unob- 
trusive habits, seldom seen. Like so many other species 
that we met with, this bird hides itself in the thickest 
bushes during the day-time, and only becomes active during 
the last hour before sunset. According to Sharpe (Cat. B. 
xii. p. 530), this Bunting only winters in N.E. Africa. 
Although we did not find a nest, its behaviour was that 
of a resident species; it was nearly always to be seen in 
pairs, and there seemed to be no diminution in the numbers 
towards the end of our stay. 
15. Passer rufidorsalis. (Plate I. fig. 2.) 
Passer rufidorsalis Brehm ; Witherby, Ibis, 1891, p. 146. 
18 S, 328 S, 16 S, 63 S, 17 S, 337 S, 189 S, 147 S, 
144 cf, 207 c? juv., 69 S pullus, 321 S j^v., 362 c^ juv., 
140 ? , 418 ? , 191 ? , 190 ? , 261 ? , 367 ? , 422 ? , 
436 ?. 
This is a southern form of P. domesticus. It might be 
described as a small and very bright House-Sparrow, with 
