TANAGER. 39 



51.— MALIMBIC TANAGER. 



Tanagra Malimbica, Ann. du Mus. d'Hist. Nat. ii. p. 148. t. x. 

 Tisserin, Tern. Man. Ed. ii. Anal. p. lxx. 

 Malimbic Tanager, Nat. Misc. pi. 581. 



LENGTH six inches. Plumage blue black ; the head crested, 

 scarlet; chin and throat the same colour ; bill black, with a small 

 notch near the end, and the feathers just round the base of the same 

 colour; legs black. The female is without the crest, with the crown 

 and back part of the neck scarlet. 



Inhabits the lower parts of Africa, chiefly at Malimba, in the 

 Kingdom of Congo ; found on trees bearing figs, similar to those of 

 Europe : the nest is round, open on one side, composed outwardly of 

 slender plants, artfully put together, lined with cotton, and placed 

 between the forks of the branches ; the female lays four or five eggs, 

 of a greyish colour, and the male sits on them in turn. These birds 

 generally seen on the same tree, as long as the fruit remains, after 

 which they disappear till the next year ; seen at Malimba during 

 autumn. This, though one exception to the rest of the Genus, is a 

 true Tanager, although found in Africa, for birds of this Genus have 

 hitherto been considered only to inhabit America. 



A fine specimen of the male is in the collection of Lord Stanley. 



52,— CRIMSON-THROATED TANAGER. 



SIZE of a House Sparrow ; length about six inches. Bill stout, 

 black ; general colour of the plumage dusky black, the feathers on 

 the lower part of the neck behind, and beginning of the back mot- 

 tled, or margined with a darker colour ; chin and throat, as far as 

 the breast, fine deep crimson ; tail one inch and a half long, some- 

 what forked ; legs dusky. 



