366 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
343. AMADINA ATRICAPILLA, 
THE CHESTNUT-BELLIED MUNIA. 
Coccothraustes sinensis, Briss. Orn. iii. p. 235. Loxia atricapilla, Vieill. Ois. 
Chant, pi. 53. Munia rubronigra, Hodgs. As. Res. xix. p. 153 ; Jerd. B. Ind. 
ii. p. 353 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 625 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 92 ; Oates, 8. F. v. p. 160 ; 
Hume Sf Dav. S. F. vi. p. 401 (footnote). Munia atricapilla, Hume, Nests and 
Eggs, p. 444 ; Salvad. Uce. Born. p. 265 ; Wold. Trans. Z. Sac. ix. p. 208. Mu- 
nia sinensis, David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 342. Amadina rubronigra, Hume, 
S. F. viii. p. 107 ; Sadly, S. F. viii. p. 332, 
Description. — Male and female. Head^ neck and breast black ; remainder 
of the plumage chestnut, turning to glistening fulvous on the rump, upper 
tail-coverts and the outer edges of the tail-feathers ; centre of the abdomen, 
vent and under tail-coverts black. 
The young are uniform pale fulvous, lighter below than above. 
Bill leaden blue ; iris dark brown ; legs dark plumbeous. 
Length 4'5 inches, tail 1*5, wing 2'1, tarsus '55, bill from gape *45. The 
female is of about the same size. 
It seems to me impossible to separate as a distinct species those birds 
which are said to have no black on the abdomen. This supposed species is 
reputed to occur in China, Malacca and Pinang. According to Mons. Ous- 
talet, however, Chinese specimens which came under his inspection had the 
abdomen brownish, the males especially. Dr. Stoliczka notes of the birds 
he obtained at Pinang that the abdomen was black. Mr. Swinhoe (Ibis, 
1865, p. 356) keeps the two species distinct; but subsequently (P. Z. S. 
1871, p. 384) he adds Hodgson^s name as a synonym of M. sinensis. I may 
add that I have never myself seen a bird without black on the abdomen. 
The Chestnut-bellied Munia occurs in all parts of the Province and is a 
very abundant resident species. Mr. Davison remarks that in Tenasserim 
it appears to be a seasonal visitor, but I should think this to be most 
unlikely. 
Out of Burmah it has a wide range. It occurs throughout the Malay 
peninsula and also in the islands of Sumatra and Borneo ; it is found in 
South-west China, Siam, Cochin China, the Indo-Burmese countries and 
in the whole peninsula of India down to Ceylon. 
This Munia affects grass-land and is not found in the wooded parts of 
the country except on their outskirts. It is generally seen in small flocks 
of five to ten. The food of this species consists of grain and seeds. The 
nesting-season extends from June to August or September. The nest is 
placed in a clump of elephant-grass, generally where inundated, and is 
supported by four or five stalks. It is a large globular mass of grass with 
