PLOCEIX^. 
1. p. philippinus (Linn.) Cuv. PI. enl. 135. f. 2. — Euplectes 
philippensis Swains. 2. P. Baglefecht (Vieill.) Ency. Meth. 698. 
— Loxia philippina var. Lath. 3. P. bengalensis (Linn.) PI. 
enl. 293. f. 2. — Loxia regina Bodd.; Euplectes albirostris Swains. 
4. V.flaviceps (Swains.) Two Cent, and a Quarter^ 310. 
5. P. flavicollis (Frankl.) Sykes, Proc. Z. S. 1S31. 120. 6. P. 
manyar (HoTsf.) Linn. Trans, xiii. 1 60. 7- P- nelicourvi 
(Scop.) Sonn. Voy. Ind. t. 22. — Loxia pensilis Gmel. 8. P. 
luteolus (Licht.) Cat. Dupl. Berl. IMus. .9. V . jonquillaceus 
(Vieill.) Ency. Me'th. TOO. 10. P. capensis (Linn.) PI. enl. 
101. 659. f. 1. — Icterus flavescens Baud.; Fringilla phalerata ///. 
Licht. 11. P. xanthomelas (Riipp.) Riipp. Faun. Abyss, p. 
. 12. P. ahyssinicus (Gmel.) Cuv., Vieill. Ois. Chant. 
t. 28. — Fringilla ranunculacea Licht. 13. P. afor (Gmel.) 
Brown's 111. t. 24. f. . — Loxia melanogastra Lath. 14. P. 
taha A. Smith, 111. S. Afr. Zool. pi. 7- — Ploceus melanocepha- 
I lus? Vieill. 15. P. textor (Gmel.) Licht. Cat. Dupl. Berl. 
Mus. — Textor malimbus Teinm. I6. P. oryx (Linn.) PI. 
: enl. 6. f. 2. 309. f. 2. — Vieill. Ois. Chant, t. 66. 1?. V.fran- 
\ ciscanus (Isert). PI. enl. 134. f. 1.— Fringilla ignicolor Fieill. Ois. 
; Chant, t. 59., Ehrenb. Symb. Phys. t. 2. 18. P. rufovelatus 
(Fras.) Proc. Z. S. 1842. 142. 19. V. fammiceps (Swains.) 
B. of W. Afr. p. 13. 20. P. ruficeps Swains. B. of AV. Afr. 
p. 262. 21. P. erythrocephahis {Gmel.) Cuv., Brown. 111. t. 28. 
f. 2. — Vieill. Ois. Chant, t. 28. 22. P. madagascariensis (Linn.) 
Vieill. Ois. Chant, t. 63. 23. P. ruber (Gmel.) PI. enl. 134. 
I f. 2. 24. V. sangninirostris (Linn.) Edward's Birds, t. 271. 
1 f. 2. — Emberiza quelea Linn. PI. enl. 183. f. 2. 223. f. 1., Vieill. 
5 Ois. Chant. 22, 23, 24 25. P. aureus (Gmel.) Brown's 111. 
t. 25. f. 1. — Euplectes aurinotus Swains. 26. P. striatu.i 
(Blyth), Journ. As. Soc. Bang. xi. 873. 
Philet^erus J. Smith.* 
Bill more compressed than in Ploceus, with, the cukiien slightly arched from the base, and the 
lateral margins sinuated. Wings moderate, reaching to about the middle of the tail, with the first 
quill very shoii:, almost rudimentary, the second, third, and fourth, nearly of equal length and longest. 
Tail somewhat rounded at the end. Legs and Toes strong. Tarsi sliielded with transverse scales. 
The outer and inner Toes nearly of equal length ; claws much curved and acute. 
Peculiar to South Africa, where they are generally foimd near rivers ; their food consists of seeds and small insects. 
" The most striking peculiarity observed in the species," says Dr. Smith, is the extraordinary manner in which a 
numl)er of individuals associate, and build their nests under a common roof. "When a nestling-place has been selected, 
and the operation of building the nests is to be cormnenced ab initio, the community immediately proceed conjointly to 
construct the general covering which interests them all. That being accomplished, each pan* begiu to form their own 
nest, which, like the roof, they construct of coarse grass : these are placed side by side against the under surface of the 
general covering ; and, by the time they are all completed, the lower surface of the mass exhibits an appearance of an 
even horizontal surface, freely perforated by small ckcular openings. 
" They never use the same nests a second time, though they continue for many years attached to the same roof. TVith 
the return of the breeding-season, fresh nests are formed upon the lower surface of those of the previous year, which 
then forms an addition to the general covering. In this manner they proceed, year after year adding to the mass, till 
at last the weight often becomes such as to cause the destruction of its support, upon which a new building-place 
is selected. Each female lays from three to four eggs. The male has no summer tints which he throws aside in 
winter." 
Ph. sociu.^ (Lath.) G. R. Gray, Paters. Voy. pi. I9. — Ph. lepidus A. Smith, 111. S. Afr. Zool. pi. viii.; PI. Patersoni Less. 
NiGRiTA Sh'ickl.-f 
Bill shorter than the head, dilated at the base, laterally compressed to the tip, which is slightly emar- 
ginated ; the lateral margins inflexed and slightly arched ; the culmen rather keeled, gradually arched 
from the base to the tip, and the gonys lengthened and ascending ; the nostrils basal, ovate, and partly 
concealed by the frontal plumes. WiJigs moderate, rounded, with the first quill spurious, and the third 
to the fifth nearly equal. Tail rather short and rounded. Tarsi short and strongly scaled, ecpialliug the 
length of the middle toe. The lateral Toes nearly equal, the hind toe long and strong ; the claws rather 
short, much curved, and grooved on the sides. 
Peculiar to Western Africa. 
1. N. canicapilla Strickl. Proc. Z. S. 1841. 30. 2. . fusconota Fras. Proc. Z. S. 1842. 145. 
Plocepasser Smith. X 
Bill large, conical, pointed, and laterally compressed ; the culmen slightly arched, advanced on the 
forehead in a point. Wings moderately long and rounded, with the first quill very short, the second 
* This genus was founded in 1837- See Loud. Mag. of Nat. Hist. p. 536. 
t This genus was originally proposed {Proc. Zool. Soc. 1841, p. 30.) under the name of JEthiops; but, as that word had been previously 
used, Mr. Strickland changed it to the above. 
^ Proposed by Dr. A. Smith {Rep. S. Afr. Exped. p. 51.) in 1836. Mr. Swainson's Agrophilus of 1837 is coequal. 
