
Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Genus Malimbus. 465 
rangement of its colours from all the species of this genus ; 
and in the way the bright hues of the breast extend to the 
flanks it resembles somewhat the species of Euplectes. The 
two examples in the Academy of Natural Sciences at Phila- 
delphia, and one in Mr. Sharpe’s collection, are, I believe, 
the only ones of this beautiful bird that have as yet been 
obtained. It constitutes the subgenus Atalochrous, accord- 
ing to the manner in which I have divided this group of 
birds. 
Male. Top of head bright reddish orange, growing paler 
on sides of neck. Throat and cheeks black. Neck in front 
and breast orange-red, changing into bright yellow on the 
sides. Upper part of body, wings, tail, and abdomen black. 
Under tail-coverts yellow; under wing-coverts black. Bill 
bluish black; feet paler. Total length 54 inches, wing 33, 
tail 2. 
Young male. Similar to the male, but the plumage less 
bright, and the reddish orange of the crown mixed with black. 
ANAPLECTES. 
MALIMBUS MELANOTIS. 
Ploceus melanotis, Lafr. Rev. de Zool. 1889, p. 20; id. 
Mag. de Zool. 1839, pl. 7; Hartl. Syst. Ornith. W.Afr. 
(1857) p. 183. 
Hyphantornis erythrocephalus, Rupp. Syst. Uebers. Vog. 
Nord-Ost-Afr. p. 71; Gray, Gen. Birds, p. 351. 
Sycobius melanotis, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. vol. 1. p. 438. 
sp. 3; Horsf. & Moore, Cat. B. E.Ind. Co. (1856-58) p. 520. 
sp. 790. 
Ploceus pyrrhocephalus, Heugl. Journ. fiir Ormith. 1864, 
pp. 247, 272, 273. 
Ploceus hematocephalus, P. Wirt. Naumannia, 1857, p. 433. 
Hab. Senegal (Lafresnaye) ; Gambia (Lesson); Casamanze 
(Verreaux); Abyssinia (Horsfield & Moore). 
The present rare bird is peculiar amongst this group by 
departing from the usual style of plumage, and, instead of 
possessing black and red colours, takes almost the other ex- 
treme and presents itself to us in a grey and red dress, be- 

