302 
Captain G. E. Shelley on the 
mary being very small and finely pointed, except in the genns 
Spermospiza and, possibly, in a few of the more nearly allied 
species, which are excessively rare in collections, and of which 
I have not been able to examine good series; nevertheless, 
from their general appearance, I believe their affinities to be 
probably much nearer to Pytilia than to any other genns. 
With regard to the specimens examined, I shall only notice 
types, those from new localities, and those with dates. 
Key to the Genera of Viduin^e. 
a. Mantle never striped in any stage of plumage. Hind 
claw shorter and more curved. None of the inner 
feathers of the wing ever lanceolate. None of the 
tail-feathers ever obtusely pointed. Div. 1. Estbeldje. 
a 1 . Bill comparatively slender and very unfinch-like. 
Distance from gonys to tip of lower mandible 
greater than the depth of the bill. Plumage 
• with no bright red nor yellow. Entire under- [p. 304. 
parts uniform. Tail entirely black . 1. Niyrita, 
b x . Bill stouter and finch-like. 
b 2 . Tail square, and extending beyond the wing 
by about the length of the tarsus. Plumage [p. 307. 
mostly pale brown .. 2. Philetcerus, 
c 2 . Tail rounded or graduated. 
c 3 . Bill very stout; culmen arched. 
c 4 . With no red on the plumage, and no pale 
ends to the tail-feathers. Sexes very 
similar. 
c 5 . Breast white or nearly so, with dark 
mottlings on the sides. Tail rather 
short and rounded. Legs dark. Bill [p. 308. 
blue-black. 3. Spermestes , 
d 5 . Breast rarely white, and never with 
dark mottlings on the sides. Legs and [p. 310. 
bill rarely very dark . 4. Munia , 
d x . With white ends to the tail-feathers. 
Sexes dissimilar. With some red con- [p. 312. 
fined to the heads of the males only .... 5. Amadina, 
d 3 . Bill very stout, and shaped like a pyramid. 
Culmen straight. Upper mandible with a 
powerful tooth near the base. Plumage 
brown or black, with the head, rump, and [p. 313. 
tail red.. 6. Pyrenest.es , 
