SHAFT-TAILED WHIDAH. 
Embeeza Regia. Lin. Sjst. i. 3 13. 
La Veuve de la Cote d’Afri(>ue. Bris. Orn. iii. U9. 
La Veuve a' quatre brins. BuJ. Ois. iv. 15 8. 
The Shaft-tailed Bunting. Lath. ii. ft. I. 183. 
This subject is the male, and is a native of Africa; it is more rare than the 
broad-tailed Whidah, and not so large, being about the size of a linnet. It 
moults twice, in the same manner as the other, and is here represented in 
its summer dress. 
The bill is red, the head black, the throat and parts round the neck, 
breast, and lower belly, exhibit a blush or pale red, which becomes deeper 
as it extends behind the neck, which is spotted with black; the lower part of 
the thighs, and coverts under the tail are black, the four middle feathers 
of the tail are near ten inches long, and are simple shafts, being only fea- 
thered about two inches at the ends, the legs are flesh colour. 
In winter this bird loses the long feathers of the tail, its whole plumage 
changes to a mixture of brown, tawny, and grey, and it can hardly be dis- 
tinguished from the linnet. 
The female is brown, and is not decorated with the four long feathers of 
the tail, as the male ; she likewise experiences the same moultings, but the 
change is less perceptible than in the male, from the cause above mentioned. 
In the coure of this work these birds will be given in their winter dress. 
