178 
REB-BILLED WIIIDAH. 
remarked, there is a deep black spot on tbe chin, 
not the least of which is seen in the other. 
Total length, with the middle tail-feathers, about 
] 0 inches; without the long feathers, 4f ; wings, 2j a fl ; 
tail, without the middle-feathers, 2/ c ; tarsus, 
YELLOW-BACKED WHIDAH. 
Vidua chrysonotus, Swains. 
Velvet Black ; shoulder-covers and inter-scapulars, bright 
yellow ; secondary and tertial quills, with their covers mar- 
gined with whitish. 
Eringilla ehrysoptera, Vieill. Ois. Chant. PI. 41. — Moineau du 
Koyaumc dc Juda, PL Enl. 183, 1. fig. pessima. 
There seems to be no less than three distinct species 
mixed up in the Synopsis of Birds, under the name 
of Emleriza longicauda. This confusion was trans- 
ferred into succeeding compilations, until Dr. La- 
tham in his last work appears to have omitted the 
whole. We should have supposed that our present 
species, and that figured by Brown in his Illustra- 
tions, pi. 11., had been the same, but he makes no 
allusion to the yellow on the back ; and Dr. Riip- 
pell has assured us that a species quite agreeing 
with this of Brown is actually found in Abyssinia. 
Both have yellow wing-covers ; but the distinction 
of tbe species now before us rests on the back being 
