EUPLECTES TAPIA. 
Form, &c. — Typical. Wings, when folded, reach over the first half of the 
tail ; the first, or spurious quill feather, very small, the second but very little 
shorter than the third, which is the longest ; tail even. Tarsi rather slender; 
outer and inner toes of equal length, and rather longer than the hinder one, 
the middle toe considerably longest; claws long, slender, and but slightly 
curved. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. Lines. 
Length from the tip of the bill to the 
point of the tail 4 9 
of the tail 1 5 
of the wings when closed 2 7 
Inches. Lines. 
Length of the tarsus 0 9 
the middle toe 0 7 
the outer toe 0 4^ 
the hinder toe 0 4 
The adult female, during the summer and winter exhibits nearly the same 
coloured plumage as the male in winter. 
The present species is more nearly allied to Euplectes melanogaster, ( Loxia melanogaster, 
Lath.) than to any other species of the genus yet described ; it is, however, readily to be 
distinguished from it, by the under part of the body being black, while in E. melanogaster, the 
middle of the breast and belly only are black, the sides being yellow. 
Immediately preceding the breeding season, the birds of this species begin to moult, at 
which time the new feathers of the males appear with the colours described, and these 
colours they retain until the approach of autumn, when they gradually lose them, and assume 
the tints of the females. The species does not appear to extend south of 26°, at least we dis- 
covered no individuals prior to reaching that latitude ; and the natives more to the southward, 
appeared unacquainted with the bird. In the districts to the north of 26°, however, it was 
common, and large flocks were often observed among the trees near to the banks of 
rivers. Though they were generally among trees at the time we passed through the country? 
we were informed they leave them on the commencement of the breeding season, for the reeds 
which here and there skirt the rivers, and from those they suspend their nests. Like Euplectes 
oryx, they prove very destructive to gardens during the summer season, and it requires some 
of the natives to be constantly on watch to save their crops from being entirely devoured by 
the one or other of these species. 
It may not be out of place to mention that the species of this genus inhabiting Southern 
Africa are 
Euplectes oryx, ( Loxia oryx, Lin.) 
Euplectes Capensis, ( Loxia Capensis, Lin.) 
Euplectes Tafia, Smith. 
