YELLOW-BACKED WHIDAH. 179 
■yellow also ; we tare thus felt obliged to substitute 
the name of chrysonotm for that of chrysoptera, 
the latter being alike applicable to both ; the Em- 
beriza longicauda of Linn® us still remains a distinct 
species. 
The structure of this bird shews that it is equally 
aberrant noth the last; the V. erythrorynchm lead- 
ing to Amadina , while this connects the group with 
Euplectes. The tail is remarkably broad, fan-shaped, 
and flat, so that we suspect it assumes a boat-shaped 
form when the bird is alive. At all events, it is 
clearly the rasorial type of the genus Vidua; while 
in its lengthened bill, long slender toes, and in their 
proportions, it perfectly resembles Euplectes. The 
tertials are very broad, and as long as the primaries ; 
the under tail-covers also are remarkably long, ren- 
dering it probable that the tail is often elevated, or 
at least spread out. 
The general colour of the plumage is a full and 
intense black, glossy, but without any reflections ; 
the feathers of the head and neck being very closely 
set, although not short, and, as Brown well remarks, 
inclining upwards. The upper part of the hack is 
covered by a mantle of beautiful clear and full 
yellow, which extends to the shoulder-covers. The 
wings are black ; all the feathers, excepting the 
primary and spurious quills being edged w ith brown- 
ish-white ; in old birds, however, these edges be- 
come so much obliterated, that scarcely a remnant 
of them remains. The under wing-covers are nearly 
white, and the fore edge of the shoulders yellow ; 
