FRINGILLir-JE. 



with white, the rest are ashy-brown, with the two 

 middle ones clear brown : the edges of the wing-fea- 

 thers are yellowish -green : the beak is black above 

 and orange beneath : the irides are brown. The 

 young want the black patch on the ears. 



This bird is said to reside on the plains, and hide 

 itself among the high grass and herbage, among which 

 it runs with great celerity, although it occasionally 

 perches, during morning and evening, on the higher 

 plants : its cry is very low and feeble, and unlike 

 that of a bird. Its flight is very short, and appa- 

 rently fatiguing. It lives in pairs, and feeds on small 

 worms and grain. 



GENUS CXLVII.— VIDUA, Cuvier. WHIDAH-BIRD. 



Rostrum breve, rectum, basi 

 paulo tumidum, apice acu- 

 tum. 



Cauda (in maribus) rectrici- 

 bus valde elongatis. 



Beak short, straight, rather 

 swollen at the base, acute 

 at the tip. 



Tail in the males with its fea- 

 thers greatly elongated. 



The birds of this singular genus are all natives of 

 the tropical regions of India and Africa. 



Sp. 1. Vi. paradisea. 



Emberiza paradisea. StepJi. v. ix. ^.418. pL 63. — Angola, &c. 



Sp. 2. Vi. sirena. 



Emberiza vidua. Steph. v. ix. p. 419. — Emberiza principalis. 

 Steph. V. ix. p. 420. pi. 62. — Emberiza serena. Steph. v. ix. p. 423. 

 — Africa. 



Sp. 3. regia. 



Emberiza regia. Steph, v. ix. p. 426, pi. in front. — Africa. 



