Head and breast black, back wings and tail rich chestnut, tinged with maroon. Abdomen white, rest of lower plumage black. Bill very pale slate colour.
This handsome species is confined to S. India; in the north it is replaced by a closely allied species ([75]).
[75]. Munia atricapilla: The Chestnut-bellied Munia. (F. 726), (J. 698), (-I.)
This differs from [74] only in having the abdomen chestnut instead of white.
[76]. Uroloncha malabarica: The White-throated Munia (called the Chiruka in N. India). (F. 734), (J. 703), (-I.)
Jerdon’s name for this bird—the Plain Brown Munia—is much more appropriate than that given it by Oates, for the white of the throat is rarely, if ever, pure, being usually cream-coloured.
This is the species of munia most commonly seen, and is found in all parts of the plains of India, save Eastern Bengal and Burma.
It is a plainly-coloured bird, the upper plumage being earthy brown save for a white patch on the rump. The lower plumage is dirty white. It has a twittering, sparrow-like note, syllabised by Sykes as “cheet, cheet, cheet.” The feathers of the tail are graduated. This, the small size of the bird, the white patch on the rump, the thick bill, and the note should serve to enable the observer to identify this inconspicuous little munia. (Illus. B. B., p. 137.)
[77]. Uroloncha punctulata: The Spotted Munia. (F. 735), (J. 699), (-I.)
This is known by bird fanciers as the Nutmeg Bird and the Spice Bird. It, like No. 79, is one of the common cage birds of India.