406 zooioor. 



May. It was in flocks in both instances, and very wary. 

 It feeds on the ground. 



A pair shot in the beginning of May measure : — 



_ ., „. .„„ BUI from Whole lengtli 

 Wmg. Tail. Tarsus, forehead. about 

 in, in. in. in. in. 



Male 3-3 5-6 I'O 0-6 9-0 



Female 3-2 4-3 I'O 0-55 7-6 



All the specimens killed by me were in winter plumage, 

 although they had assumed the long taU. The whole 

 upper surface in both sexes is black, with pale brown 

 margins to the feathers of the head, neck, and intersca- 

 pularies — much less marked, however, on the last — and 

 whitish on the rump. Wings and taU black, secondaries 

 and outer rectrices with brown margins. Lower surface 

 pale isabelline with black striae, yellowish on chin and 

 throat in some specimens. There is a distinct pale 

 supercUium. 



On closely examining the feathers, it is evident that a 

 change of colour is taking place, on the head especially ; 

 here and there portions of the web are becoming reddish ; 

 and it is evident that in this bird the change from black 

 and brown to red takes place without a moult, 



I cannot help feeling surprised that so few naturalists 

 admit Coliuspasser as a distinct genus from Vidua. 

 Both have, it is true, lengthened tails ; but there their 

 resemblance ends. In Vidua only the central tail-feathers 

 are elongated, and they are greatly changed iji form ; 

 in Coliuspasser all are lengthened, and no modification 

 takes place in form. Vidua has the biU of the Bstrildinw, 

 Coliuspasser that of the Ploceince. 



