Birds of Celebes; Ploceidae. 
541 
Distribution. “Breeds throughout Northern Europe and Siberia, above the limits of forest- 
grovdli. Occasional in England and "Western Europe on migration. Winters in 
Egypt and North-easteni Africa, Persia, and North-western India, but principally in 
Southern China and the Bui’mese countries extending at least to Borneo . . . has 
been met with in mnter as far south as Oalifoniia” (Sharpe 2). 
In the East India Islands: Philippines — Mindanao and Basilan (Steer e 6 ), 
Palawan (Everett 8 )\ West Borneo (Everett 5); North Celebes — Mt. Soputan 
(P.& F. Sarasin 9 ). 
A single example of this wide-spread migrant was obtained on the summit 
c. 6000 ft. of Mount Soputan in the Minahassa on April 29*'’, 1895, by the Drs. 
Sarasin. 
It is distinguishable from A. gustavi by having almost no white on the 
second rectrix, by its smaller bill, by the greyer brown — - not tawny-olive — 
tint of the upper surface, and in the summer and old-male dress by the vinous- 
rufous throat. 
Compared with two examples from Archangel the specimen from Celebes 
has a decidedly small bill and a paler upper surface. 
FAMILY PLOCEIDAE. 
The Passeres of Celebes hitherto treated of have been more or less in- 
sectivorous birds; the present family and the hardly separable Fringillidae are 
in the main seed-eaters. Sharpe (Cat. B. XIII, 1890, 198) and Oates (Fauna 
Brit. India, Birds II, 1890, 174) divide the Ploceidae into two subfamilies, the 
Ploceinae, or Weaver-birds, with the first primary about as long as the tarsus, and 
the Viduinae, in which the first primary is reduced to a minute pointed feather, 
not likely to be noticed unless looked for, a subfamily embracing the Widow- 
birds and Munias. The true Viduinae^ or Widow-birds, form, as Newton re- 
marks (D. B. p. 1028), a very natural group, and it is preferable to hold the other 
forms apart as Estrildinae. Perhaps the character: tail shorter than the wing — 
may serve to distinguish the latter, which alone occur in Celebes. 
GENUS MUNIA Hdgs. 
The size of a Sparrow or less. Bill very stout, conical, generally shorter 
than the cranium, the maxilla without a ridged culmen, broad, raised above the 
level of the cranium, the culmen posteriorly forming an apex which parts the 
anterior frontal feathers mesially ; nostrils in front of the forehead, more or less 
concealed; tomia not denticulated; wing longer than tail, 2"“' and primaries 
longest, the P* very minute; tail graduated to nearly square; tarsus shorter than 
middle toe and claw, anteriorly scutellated. The eggs are white, the nest of 
grasses, etc., round, with the entrance in the side. 
Found in the Indo-Australian area, and in Eastern Africa. 
