THE Q v ■ BIRDS OF AFRICA, COMPRISING ALL THE SPECIES WHICH OCCUR ETHIOPIAN EEGION. BY G. E. SHELLEY, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S., &c. (LATE GRENADIER GUARDS), AUTHOR OF " A HANDBOOK TO THE BIRDS OP EGYPT," " A MONOGRAPH OF THE SUN-BIRDS," ETC. VOL. II. LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE ADTHOE BT R. H. PORTER, 7, PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W. 1900. PREFACE. When I published the first volume of " The Birds of Africa " I had sketched out the classification down to the " Keys of the Species," and intended to bring this out as the second volume ; but the number of known Ethiopian forms increases so rapidly that I recognised how imperfect these " keys " would be by the time I came to write the history of the species, so decided to work out each family in a monographic form. The Classification is compiled mostly from Seebohm's "Classification of Birds" (1890), and that proposed by Dr. R. B. Sharpe at the Ornithological Congress, Buda-Pest, 1891, and I have followed these authors in the use of the termination " formes " for the seventeen large divisions which I call Orders. I begin with the Passeriformes and follow on with the Piciformes. The two families of these separate orders which appear to me to be most nearly allied are the Swallows and the Swifts, so as I end the Passeriformes with the Hirundinidas it entails beginning the classification with the Oligomyodse. The Oligomyodse lead most naturally into the Oscinen through the Madagascar genera Philepitta and Neodrepanis ; therefore I commence the Oscines with the Nectariniidas. With regard to the synonymy of the species: I begin with what I consider to be the most correct name ; quote the ii. PREFACE. " Catalogue of the Birds of the British Museum," where full synonymy is given in detail, and add only such references which have not appeared in that great work. I follow on with a description of the plumage, taken, when possible, from the specimens in the British Museum, for these are the most available to the general public, and finish with all the details I can find regarding the distribution and habits of the species which I consider to be of interest, My thanks are therefore due to all the ornithologists whose works I quote. LIST OF PLATES. Plate I., fig. 1. „ 2. Plate II., fig. 1. 2 *i it ~* Plate III., fig. 1. 9 Plate IV., fig. 1. !> >> 2. Plate V., fig. 1. „ 2. Plate VI., fig. 1. M ii 2. Plate VII., fig. 1. 2 ii ii - 1 * II ii o. Plate VIII., fig. 1. i> ii 2. Plate IX., fig. 1. „ 2. Plate X., fig. 1. „ 2. Plate XL, fig. 1. n ii 2. Plate XII., fig. 1. 2 ii ii -*• Plate XIII., fig. 1. ii ii 2. Plate XIV., fig. 1. ii ii 2. Nectarinia kilimensis. ,, melanogastra. Artamia comorensis. Cinnyris nesophilus. ,, falkensteini. ,, mediocris. ,, fuelleborni. Anthothreptes orientalis. Cyanomitra uewtoni. Elasocerthia thomensis. Zosterops niodesta. semiflava. pallida, anderssoni. virens. fieedulina. Speirops leucophsea. Zosterops comorensis. Malacirops e-newtoni. Parus xanthostomus. ,, albiventris. Alcippe abyssinieus. iEgitbalus ruusculus. Motacilla vidua. ,, nigricotis. Anthus lineiventris. ,, crenatus. ,, calthorpse. ,, brachyurus. CONTENTS. Preface List of Plates Key to the Orders . . . Order I. Passeriformes Suborder I. Oligomyod.e Family I. Pittid.£ ... 1. Pitta angolensis Family II. Philepittidje 2. Philepitta jala ... 3. „ schlegeli Suborder II. Oscines Section I. Pari Family I. NECTARraiiDa: Subfamily I. Neodrepanin^: 4. Neodrepanis coruscans Subfamily II. Nectariniinae ... Genus I. Hedydipna 5. Hedydipna metallica . . . 6. ,, platura Genus II. Nectarinia 7. Nectarinia famosa 8. ,, cupreonitens 9. , jobnstoni ... 10. , pulchella ... 11. , melanogastra(Pl. 12. , bocagii 13. , tacazze 14. , kilimensis... 15. , reichenowi Genus III. Cinnyris 16. Cinnyris cupreus 17. ,, purpureiventris 18. „ notatus 19. „ nesopbilus ...(PL ii page i. ii. 1 2 3 3 4 5 6 6 7 9 10 12 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 21 22 23 25 26 26 28 29 30 36 39 39 41 20. Cinnyris superbus 21. , jobannae 22. , splendidus . . 23. , habessinicus . . 24. , nectarinioides 25. , erythroeerius.. 26. , shelleyi 27. , mariquensis .. 28. , osiris ... 29. , bifasciatus 30. , michrorbynehi 31. , comorensis 32. , bouvieri 33. , leucogaster . 34. , albiventris 35. , oustaleti 36. , venustus 37. , affinis ... 38. , falkensteini 39. , coquereli 40. , souimanga 41. , aldabrensis 42. , abbotti 43. , afer ... 44. , ludovicensis . 45. , cbalybeus 46. , mediocris 47. , stublmanni . 48. , fuelleborni 49. , preussi 50. , reicbenowi 51. , cbloropygius . 52. , regius... 53. , violaceus (PL iii. (PL iv. PAGE 41 43 45 46 48 49 50 51 53 54 55 57 . 57 58 60 62 62 64 66 67 68 70 72 72 74 76 79 80 80 81 82 83 86 86 CONTENTS. Genus IV. Chalcomitka 54. Chalcomitra senegalensis 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. acik gutturalis cruentatus hunteri . . . amethystina deminuta kirki fnliginosa angolensis adelberti... castaneiventris Genus V. Eljeocerthia 66. Elseocerthia fusca 67. ,, verreauxi 68. „ thomensis (PI. v Genus VI. Cyanomitra . . 69. Cyanomitra balfouri ... 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. olivacea ... obscura . . . verticalis eyanolaBina dussumieri humbloti newfconi ... hartlaubi... reichenbachi Genus VII. Anthotheeptes 79. Anthotbreptes fraseri... 80. „ idia ... 81. 82. 83. 84. 85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. Family II. Promeropid^: 91. Promerops cafer 92. „ gurneyi axillaris longuimarii orientalis aurantia collaris hypodila rectirostris tephrolaema anchietse gabonica page 88 89 90 93 100 102 103 105 107 109 111 112 114 114 115 116 119 120 122 123 125 127 130 132 133 134 135 137 139 141 142 143 144 145 147 149 151 155 156 157 158 161 161 165 Family III. Zosteropidsi ... Genus I. Zosterops 93. Zosterops semiflava . . (PI. vi mayottensis senegalensis anderssoni (PI. vii kirki 94. 95. 96. 97. 98. 99. 100. 101. 102. 103. 104. 105. 106. 107. 108. 109. 110. 111. 112. 113. 114. 115. 116. 117. mouroniensis virens stenocricota eurycricota kikuyuensis jacksoni ficedulina (PI. viii griseovirescens pallida capensis poliogastra... abyssinica ... madagascariensis anjuanensis comorensis (PI. ix aldabrensis... olivacea cbloronota . . . modesta hovarum . . . Genus II. Speirops 118. Speirops lugubris 119. ,, melanocephala 120. ,, leucophasa ... Genus III. Malacirops 121. Malacirops borbonica... 122. „ mauritiana 123. „ e-newtoni... Family IV. Parisomid.3E Genus I. Alcippe 124. Alcippe nigricapilla ... 125. ,, abyssinica 126. „ galinieri Genus II. Parisoma.. 127. Parisoma subceeruleum 128. ,, layardi 129. „ plumbeum ... PAGE 166 168 172 172 173 177 178 179 179 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 190 192 194 196 196 197 198 198 199 200 201 201 202 203 203 204 205 206 206 208 209 210 211 212 213 215 217 CONTENTS. vii. PAGE PAGE 130. Parisoma orieutalis ... 217 Genus II. Salpoenis 259 131. ,, catoleucum ... 217 163. Salpornis salvadorii 260 132. , boebmi 220 Subfa mily III. FALCULIINiE 262 Family V. Paeid.e ... 221 164. Falculia palliata 262 Genus I. Paeos 222 Section II. Alaudje ... 263 133. Paras leuconotus 226 Fa mil yVIl '. MOTACILLID.*: 264 134. ,, funereus 227 Genus I. Motacilla... 265 135. ,, leucomelas 228 165. Motacilla nigricotis (PI. xii.) 266 136. ,, guineensis 229 166. , vidua 268 137. ,, insignis... 231 167. , alba ... 272 138. ,, niger 232 168. , forwoodi 274 139. „ fuelleborni 235 169. , longicauda ... 274 140. ,, xanthostomus ...(PI. x.) 236 170. , capensis 277 141. „ albiventris 236 171. , flaviventris ... 281 142. ,, fasciiventris 237 172. , melanope ... 282 143. ,, rufiventris 238 173. , campestris ... 283 144. „ masukuensis ... 238 174. , flava 286 145. „ pallidiventris ... 239 175. , borealis 286 146. ,, rovurna?... 239 176. , cinereicapilla 287 147. ,, afer 240 177. , melanocephala 291 148. ,, intermedius 241 Genus II. Anthus ... 293 149. ,, parvirostris 241 178. Antbus chloris... 295 150. ,, griseiventris 243 179. lineiventris (PI. xiii.) 297 151. ,, tbruppi 244 180. crenatus 298 Genus II. .ZEgithalus 245 181. trivialis 299 152. iEgitbalus capensis ... 246 182. caltborpte (PL xiv.) 301 153. „ puuctifrons 249 183. bracbyurus 303 154. , parvulus ... 250 184. latistriatus 304 155. , flavifrons .. 250 185. rnelindaa 305 156. , camaroonensis 251 186. pallidiventris ... 306 157. , calotropiphilus 252 187. pyrrhonotus ... 307 158. , caroli 253 188. gouldi ... 307 159. , musculus (PI. xi.) 254 189. vaaleusis 311 160. , fringillinus 255 190. nicholsoni 312 Family VI. CBRTHiiDiE 256 191. sordidus 314 Subfamily I. Hyposittin^; ... 257 192. campestris 317 161. Hypossita corallirostris 257 193. rufulus 319 Subfamily II. Ceethiin.e ... 258 194. pratensis 324 Genus I. Tichodeoma 258 195. cervinus 325 162. Tich adroma muraria ... 259 196. tenellus 326 AYES. KEY TO THE ORDERS. a. Young born helpless, and not able to avail themselves of the instinct of self-preserva- tion for, at least, the first twenty-four hours. o 1 . Young do not pass through a downy stage before acquiring feathers, unless the species is nocturnal as in the Caprimulgidce. a 2 . Palate segithognathous, and the deep plantar tendons free 1. Passeeifoemes. b". Palate never aegithognathous when the deep plantar tendons are free. a 3 . Palate never schizognathous when the nasals are schizorhinal ... 2. Picifobmes. b s . Palate schizognathous, and the nasals schizorhinal 3. Columbifoemes. b 1 . Young pass through a downy stage before acquiring feather. c 2 . Not web-footed. c 3 . Dorsal vertebrae opistoccelous ; feet always zygodactyle ; young born naked 4. Psittacifoemes. d 3 . Dorsal vertebrae heteroccelous. a*. Feet generally zygodactyle ; young born covered with down ... 5. Accipiteifoemes. 6 4 . Feet never zygodactyle ; young born nearly naked 6. Aedeifoemes. d 2 . Web-footed. e 3 . Palate desmognathous ; all four toes connected by a web ; young born nearly naked 7. Pelecanifoemes. f 3 . Palate schizognathous ; hind toe not connected to the other toes by a web; young born covered with down. [Juue, 1SSJ9. i 2 PASSERIFORMES. c 4 . Wing with true feathers and adapted for powerful flight. a 5 . External nostrils ordinary . . 8. Lariforjies. b r >. External nostrils produced into tubes 9. Procellariiforsies. d*. Wing with no true feathers and fin-like 10. Spheniciformes. b. Young not born helpless and able at once, or in a few hours, to avail themselves of the instinct of self-preservation. c 1 . Sternum with a keel. e". Palate desmognathous ; web-footed. g 3 . Basipterygoid processes absent ; end half of bill abruptly bent down- wards 11. PHO3NIC0PTERIF0RMES h 3 . Basipterygoid processes articulate with the pterygoids as near to the palatines as possible ; end half of bill never abruptly bent downwards. 12. Anseriformes. f". Palate schizognathous. i 3 . Posterior processes of the ilium ap- proximated to such an extent that the sacrum is almost entirely con- cealed. e 4 . Web-footed 13. Colymbiformes. /*. Toes lobed 14. Podicipedidiformes. k 3 . Posterior processes of the ilium never approximated to such an extent that the sacrum is almost entirely concealed. g*. Dorsal vertebrae heteroccelous. . 15. Galliformes. h 1 . Dorsal vertebras opistoccelous . . 16. Charadriiformes. cl 1 . Sternum with no keel 17. Struthioniformes. Order I. PASSERIFORMES. Young born helpless, and do not pass through a downy stage before acquiring feathers. Palate segithognathous. Deep plantar tendons free ; the flexor perforans digitorum serving the three front toes and the flexor long us hallusis the hind toe. Ambiens and accessory femoro-caudal muscles absent. Oil-glands present and nude. Spinal feather-tract well defined on the neck. Dorsal vertebras heteroccelous. Only a left carotid artery. This Order comprises about three-fifths of the known species of birds, and is represented in the Ethiopian Eegion by some 1500 of them. OLIGOMYOD^. KEY TO THE SUBORDERS. a. Intrinsic muscles of the syrinx attached near the middle of the bronchial semi-ring * . . 1. Oligomyod^;. b. Intrinsic muscles of the syrinx attached to the ends of the bronchial semi-rings ... 2. Oscines. * Tail remarkably short in all Ethiopian species. Suborder I. OLIGOMYODJS. The species belonging to this Suborder are mostly American, only the following three families being found in the Old World : Xenicidce. Three species confined to New Zealand. Pittidce. Contains some 45 species, only represented in the Ethiopian Region by Pitta angolensis. Philepittidce. Two species confined to Madagascar. KEY. a. Terrestrial ; sexes similar ; no wattle on head ; rump and portion of upper wing-coverts bright pale blue ; abdomen scarlet .... Pitta angolensis. b. Arboreal ; sexes dissimilar ; adult males with bare wattles on the sides of the head ; some yellow and no blue or red on the feathers . Philepitta. a 1 . General plumage velvety black with yellow at the bend of the wing. a 2 . With no yellow margins to the feathers jala, d 3 . A red pectoral-band ; smaller. c 4 . Forehead violet ; pectoral-tufts sul- phur yellow. e 5 . Entire head and neck violet . . splendidus. / 5 . Head and neck green with the front half of the crown violet . habcssinicus. ft 7 *. Entire head and neck green. r/ 5 . Tail graduated; pectoral-band scarlet. . "" c a°. Distinct pectoral-tufts. . . netarinioidcs. *> b'\ No marked pectoral-tufts . . erythrocerius. <_ /i 5 . Tail square. c 6 . No marked pectoral-tufts. ft 7 . Pectoral-band scarlet; ab- domen blackish-brown . . shcllciji . b 1 . Pectoral-band crimson ; ab- domen black. 32 CINNYRIS. a s . Wing more than 25; throat more golden. a 9 . Wing 2-7; forehead more golden. . . . mariquensis. b->. Wing 26; forehead more emerald green . osiris. b 8 . Wing less than 2-5; throat greener. c ,J . Wing 2-4 ; oilmen 075 (W. Africa) .... bifasciatus. P d a . Wing 2-1; culmen 0-6 (E. Africa) .... microrhynclius. ( \ d a . Pectoral-tufts uniform scarlet comorcnsis. b 1 . Pectoral-tufts mixed red and yellow; chin blue ; middle of throat green ; abdomen blackish-brown bouvicvi. . b. Abdomen paler. c 1 . Tail square. c 3 . No broad scarlet pectoral -band. c 3 . Breast and under tail-coverts white. c 4 . Pectoral-tufts uniform pale yellow ; a narrow black collar Icucoij aster. J f i . Pectoral-tufts scarlet and yellow. i B . No trace of black or red collar . albiventris. La k 5 . A partial narrow red collar . . oustalcti. / -, f 3 . Breast and under tail-coverts mostly buff or yellow. g*. Head and neck not entirely green. I 5 . Slightly smaller, and paler be- neath; thighs mostly buff . . venwtus. m 5 . Slightly larger, and yellower beneath ; thighs mostly dark brown. c G . Mantle greener; green on sides of neck distinctly meets across the middle of throat . ajfinis. ■ f e . Mantle bluer ; throat nearly uniform violet, with a very faint green shade across the middle falkcnstaini. h 4 . Head and neck entirely green. m 5 . Breast bright yellow with a large scarlet patch down the chest coqucrclli. CINNYRIS. 33 o 5 . Breast buff; a double pectoral- band of maroon brown and black. g e . Black pectoral-band confined to front half of chest (Mada- gascar) souimanga. C t h°. "Sooty breast-patch much more extensive, reaching medially, to middle of belly " (Aldabra Is.) aldabranns. i e . " Under parts posterior to maroon-bay pectoral - band almost entirely sooty black " (Assumption Is. and Gloriosa Is.) abbotti. ' 2 . A broad scarlet pectoral-band. g 3 . Upper tail-coverts and a narrow metallic collar, blue. i l . Abdomen ashy stone-colour. p*. Larger; wing 2-5; scarlet pec- toral-band slightly paler and broader. k e . Culmen 1-1; metallic pectoral- band more violet .... afer. ?Z l G . Culmen 0-65 ; metallic pec- toral-band bluer ludovicensis. q 5 . Smaller; wing 2-25; scarlet pectoral-band darker and nar- rower ; culmen 0-9 .... chahjbeus. ? ( k 4 -. Abdomen not ashy stone-colour, either browner or yellower. r 5 . Abdomen shaded with yellow. m 6 . Quills with no yellow edges. c 7 . Smaller; wing 2-1; upper tail-coverts steel blue . . mediocris. d 7 . " Larger ; wing 25 ; upper tail-coverts lilac blue" . . stuhlmanni. n e . Quills edged with yellow . . fuelleborni. s 5 . Abdomen brown with no yellow shade. o 6 . Quills edged with yellow ; culmen 0-8 pretissi. p 6 . Quills with no yellow edges ; culmen shorter reichenowi. [9 June, 1899. 34 CINNYRIS. h 3 . Upper tail-coverts green like the back ; no metallic blue collar ; cul- men 065 ; wing not more than two inches chloropygius. & d 1 . Tail graduated. e 2 . Throat uniform metallic green ending in a narrow blue collar ; breast scarlet fading into yellow on the sides ; upper tail-coverts violet blue regia. f 2 . Lower half of throat shading into bluish- lilac ; breast yellow washed with orange on front of chest and under tail-coverts ; upper tail-coverts olive yellow violaceus. B. No metallic colours adult females and nestlings. KEY TO THE FEMALES. a. Beneath uniform, with no dark markings. a 1 . Tail square. a". Above more olive. a 3 . Larger; culmen 1-15 inches; under tail-coverts orange yellow .... superbus. b 3 . Smaller; culmen not more than 08 ; no orange yellow under tail-coverts. a 4 . Smaller; culmen 06 ; wing 2 . . cupreus. b 4 . Larger purpureiventris . b 2 . Above less olive, but with an olive yellow shade. c 3 . Larger. c 4 . Paler; culmen 075 mediocris. ' d*. Darker; culmen 085. a 5 . Camaroons preussi. , . -,-, . r . (stuhlmanni. b s . E. Africa \ , „ , (fucllcborni. I ireicJienowt. chloropygius. vcnustus. t 2. affinis. ( falkensteini. d 3 . Smaller; culmen about 0.6 CINNYRIS. 35 c 2 . Above more ashy brown, beneath more ashy white. e 3 . More ashy above and below (S. Africa). e 4 . Culmen 1-1 ; wing 25 afer. /*. Culmen 0-75; wing 2-4 ludovicensis . d*. Smaller ; wing 2-0 ; culmen 0-7 . { j£^"\ g 4 . S.Africa: wing 2"5 ; culmen 0-8. . mariquensis. r 4 . Eastern Africa. c 5 . Larger ; wing about 2-4 ; culmen f habessinicus. about 0-7 1 osiris. / 5 . Smaller; wing 2-1 ; culmen 0-6 . microrhynchus. ST g 2 . Culmen more than 1 inch. Beneath strongly striped. i 3 . A partial white eyebrow. s 4 . Madagascar notatus. t i . Great Comoro Is nesopUVus.H k 3 . Eyebrow well marked (W. Africa) . . Johanna, x 36 CINNYRIS CUPREUS. Cinnyris cupreus. Cinnyris cupreus (Shaw), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 191, pi. 58 (1879) ; id. Ibis, 1883, p. 547 Niger ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 55 (1884) ; Sharpe, Linn. Soc. Journ. Zool. xvii. p. 428 (1884) Nyam-nyam ; Dubois, Mus. E. Belg. 1886, p. 148 Tanganyika; Hartert, J. f. O. 1886, p. 580 Niger ; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 306 Leopoldsville ; Shelley, P. S. Z. 1888, p. 38 Mundri ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 593 Kitosh; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1891, p. 391 Togoland ; id. Vog. Deutsch 0. Air., p. 212 (1893) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 17, 1894, p. 14 Nyasa ; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1894, p. 41 Camaroons ; Kuschel, J. f. O. 1895, p. 347 (egg) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 16 (1896) ; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1896, p. 37 Camaroons ; 1897, p. 47 Togoland, Dahomey ; Neum. J. f. 0. 1898, p. 237 Bukoba; Hartert, in Ansorge's "Under Afr. Sun," App. p. 350 (1899) Onyoro. Nectarinia cuprea, Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1877, p. 450 Uganda ; Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 173 (1877) Congo; Pelz. Verh. Wien. xxxi. p. 609 (1881) ; Hartl. Abhandl. Brein. 1881, p. 108, 1882, p. 205, 1891, p. 28 Upper White Nile. Nectarinia chalcea, Hartl., Sousa, Journ. Lisb. 1887, p. 94 Quissange ; 1889, p. 45 Quiiidumbo. Cinnyris chalceus, Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1888, p. 231 Mossamedes. Adult Male. Entire head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts copper colour with greenish gold and lilac reflections ; remainder of the plumage black. Total length 4 inches, culmen 06, wing 2-2, tail 1'85, tarsus 06. Adult Female. Above olive, wings and tail dark brown with olive edges to the feathers and with pale ends to a few of the outer tail-feathers ; cheeks and entire under parts pale olive shaded buff. Total length 4-25 inches, culmen 0-6, wing 2, tail 1-6, tarsus 06. The Common Copper - coloured Sunbird ranges over Tropical Africa generally, from Senegal and Abyssinia south to the Cunene and Zambesi rivers. This species is evidently abundant in Senegambia, from whence Swainson received the type of his Cinnyris erythronotus. Major Bulger procured the species on Bulama Island, one of the Bissagos group ; but it has not yet been recorded from Sierra Leone, and Mr. Biittikofer never met with it in Liberia. CINNYRIS CUPREUS. 37 This is essentially a bird of the open country as is shown by its geographical distribution. On the Gold Coast specimens have been collected by Mr. Blissitt at Elmena, by Pel in Ashantee, and by Ussher at the Volta river. During my visit to this country with Mr. T. B. Buckley we frequently saw these Sunbirds perched on the leaves of the cocoanut-trees by the road-side near Cape Coast Castle. "We never met with them in the forests of Abrobonko and Aguapim, but Drs. Reichenow and Liihder procured a specimen at Abouri. We found the species, however, very abundant, at the same season, on the open plains of Accra which stretch from the base of the Aguapim mountains to the sea. Here in March the males had just attained their full plumage and were conspicuous objects, as they perched on the topmost twigs of a bush sparkling like jet ornaments, their rich metallic colouring not being distinguishable unless the sun was at our backs, when their bright fiery copper gloss at once flashed in the light. In Togoland specimens have been procured by Dr. Biittner in March, and by Mr. Baumann at Kratji in December, and the latter naturalist also met with it at Topli in Dahomey on August 3rd. In the Niger district the species inhabits the country inland of the forest district of the delta ; here the late Mr. W. B. Forbes collected specimens at Lokoja and Shonga, at which latter station he died on January 14th, 1883. Mr. Hartert took a nest of G. cupreus at Loko, it was sus- pended from a bough not two feet from the ground, was stronger built, and contained two eggs of a greenish grey colour shaded and freckled with brown at the thick end. Dr. Reichenow describes a nest he found in Camaroons as of the usual oval form constructed of grass and fine roots, lined with seed-down, and contained two glossy brown eggs. Mr. Zenker has procured the species at Jaunde in Camaroons. It is evidently plentiful in Gaboon, for Du Chaillu 38 CINNYRIS CUPREUS. obtained many specimens on the Moonda and Camtna rivers, and also at Cape Lopez, while Marche met with it at Lope, on the River Ogowe. In the early days of the century, Perrein obtained the original examples of the Copper-coloured Sunbird at Malimbe, in the Congo district, and it has been more recently obtained there by Falkenstein near Chinchonxo, Petit at Landana, and by the late Captain Sperling at Kabinda. Mr. Bohndorff has also procured the species at Leopoldsville on the Lower Congo. In Angola it has been met with by Monteiro at Cabambe, and by Welwitsch at Galungo Alto, and it is one of the few truly West- African species which cross the Quanza River, for Anchieta has found it at Quissange and Quindumbo, and the Leyden Museum has received specimens collected by Mr. Van der Kellen at Humpata on the Cunene river. In an account of a collection made by Captain Storms during his journey to Lake Tanjanyika, Dr. Dubois records the present species. At Chia, where the Shire river runs into the Zambesi, Mr. Boyd Alexander collected four males, all in moult, in July, and writes : " This Sunbird is very partial to localities near the river where patches of flowering weed grow, from which it is hard to drive away, always returning to the same spot after a short circuitous flight which is even more jerky and erratic than in Chalcomitra guttv/ralis, the latter bird being often found in its company. It was close to the mouth of the Shire river, where we landed on July 21st for our mid-day meal, that we observed this species, frequenting a strip of red flowering plants, close to a cluster of native huts. After chasing the birds backward and forward for some time, they got to know our tactics and became very cunning, dropping down at our approach into the bottom of the weed where they crept about like mice. Towards evening they resorted to a CINNYRIS PURPUREIVENTRIS. 39 belt of fish-cane through which they threaded their way like so many little Estreldas. Oar four specimens were on the moult and two of these were young males in the plumage of the adult female." Mr. Alexander "Whyte has met with the species at Zomba, in the Shire highlands in January and September. It is apparently not generally distributed over East Africa, for Dr. Reichenow (Vog. Beutsch 0. Afr. p. 212) only records it from Ugalla and Bukoba, and Mr. Jackson obtained the species only at Kitosh (0° 30' N. lat., 34° 40' B. long.). It must, however, be fairly abundant in the more open country to the north of Victoria Nyanza, for Piaggia met with the species in Uganda, Mr. Ansorge calls it common in Unyoro, and Bmin collected specimens at many places in the Upper White Nile district; but it apparently becomes rarer again as we descend the river, for Von Heuglin informs us that Paul of Wiirtemberg obtained a specimen in South Fasokl, and that he himself considered it scarce on the Upper "White Nile and Sobat rivers, but believed he saw the species in August near Keren in Bogos. Cinnyris purpnreiventris. Cinnyris purpureiventris, Eeichen. Orn. Monatsb. 1893 ; id. J. f. 0. 1894, p. 102, pi. 1, fig. 2 ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 17 (1896). Adult Male. Similar to G. cupreus but larger and with a purple gloss on the breast. Total length 5-2, culmen 0-8, wing 2-65, tail 2-2, tarsus 0-6. The Purple-breasted Copper Sunbird is known to me only by the description and figure of the type which formed part of Emin and Stuhlman's collection from Migere in "West Mporora. Cinnyris notatus. Cinnyris notatus (P. L. S. Mull.), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 195, pi. 59 (1876) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p 54 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 18 (1896). 40 CINNYRIS NOTATUS. Neetarinia notata, Milne Edw. and Grand. Hist. Madag. Ois. i., p. 283, pis. 106, 106 a , 107, 107 a (1882) ; Sibree, Ibis, 1891, pp. 428, 441. Adult Male. Entire head, neck, back and lesser wiug-coverts metallic green, with a narrow steel blue collar at the base of the green throat and with a steel blue edge to the bend of the wing ; remainder of the plumage black. Total length 56 inches, culmen 1-2, wing 2-75, tail 1-9, tarsus 07. Madagascar (Crossley). Adult Female. Above brown, wing and tail darker; a partial whitish eyebrow ; beneath buff with large triangular dusky black centres to most of the feathers. Total length 55 inches, culmen 1-1, wing 2-6, tail 1-9, tarsus 0-7. Madagascar (Bewsher). The Madagascar Superb Sunbird is confined to the island of Madagascar. According to M. Grandidier this species is found along the northern and eastern coasts of Madagascar, where it is gener- ally met with in pairs or parties of four or five frequenting the large forests or their outskirts in preference to the scat- tered trees in the more open country, which is the home of G. souimanga, and is much shyer than that species. In searching the flowers they show a predilection for the spiders they find there, and often hunt for them suspended beneath the blossoms after the manner of Tits. They have a rapid irregular flight, and often betray their presence in the forest by their little cry, " dchip-dchip." Messrs. Roch and E. Newton remark : " Its chirp is exactly like a Tree-sparrow's, and when first heard it was taken for a bird of that genus ; its song is moderate." The nest is of the usual form, oval and pendent, with an entrance at the side, and is constructed of fine rootlets, dry leaves, grass and lichen, bound together with spiders'-web, and is generally placed close to some mountain stream, which is their favourite resort, and differs from the nest of G. soui- manga in being thickly lined with vegetable down. Their eggs vary, being sometimes pale greenish and sometimes darker and browner, and measure 0'75 inch by 0*5. This is a well-known bird to the native of Madagascar, CINNYRIS NESOPHILUS. 41 where according to Dr. C. Miller it is called " Sushne." M. Grandidier gives " Soimangaladia " as its Malagasy, and " Soiangala " as its North Betsinisaraka names. To these Dr. Sibree adds "Soy" as the North Sakalava, " Dandiaua " as the Betsileo, and " Ramanjeona " as the Tanala names. Cinnyris nesophilus. (Pi. 2, fig. 2.) Cinnyris nesophilus, Shelley, Bull. B. 0. C. i. p. 5 (1892) ; id. Ibis, 1893, p. 118 ; id. B. Afr. I. No. 19 (1896) Great Comoro Is. Cinnyris notatus (nee Mull.), Shelley, P. Z. S. 1879, p. 676; Milne Edw. and Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) x. p. 243 (1887). Adult Male. Similar to C. notatus but larger and with the back and throat strongly washed with bluish violet. Total length 6 inches, culmen 1-35, wing 2-9, tail 21, tarsus 0-8. Great Comoro Is. (Kirk). The Great Comoro Superb Sunbird is restricted to the island of Angazia, better known as Great Comoro. Sir John Kirk kindly presented me with two adult males of this species, which are now in the British Museum, one being the type of the species. In 1879 I referred them to the Madagascar G. notatus under the impression that the blue shade on the back and throat might be due to chemical causes. More recently Mr. Bi'ittikofer showed me a third specimen from Great Comoro Island which agreed perfectly, so I described the species, when MM. Milne Edwards and Oustalet likewise remarked on these differences between the Great Comoro and Madagascar forms as constant in a fine series collected by M. Humblot on this island, where it is said to be very abundant. Cinnyris superbus. Cinnyris superbus (Shaw), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 197, pi. 60 (1876) ; Sharpe and Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1876, p. 41 Loango ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 48 (1884) ; Sharpe, Linn. Soc. Journ. Zool. 42 CINNYRIS SUPERBUS. xvii. p. 428 (1884) Nyam-nyam ; Eeichen. J . f. 0. 1887, p. 306 Leopoldsville ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 38 Bellima ; id. Ibis, 1890, p. 162 Yambuya; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1890, p. 126, 1892, p. 190, 1896, p. 38 Camaroons ; Sjost. Mitt. d. Schutzg. viii. 1895, p. 33 ; id. Sv. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1895, p. 103 Camaroons ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 20 (1896) ; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1896, 38, Camaroons, 1897, p. 47, Togoland. Nectarinia superba, Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1877, p. 25 Loango ; Hartl. Abhandl. Nat. Brem. 1891, p. 27 Njangabo. Chromatophora superba, Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) ii. Bull. p. 85 (1878) Gaboon. Adult Male. Crown metallic emerald green ; back of neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic golden green ; remainder of wings and tail black ; a black patch in front of the eye ; cheeks and ear-coverts bronzy green with copper and violet reflections ; throat violet shaded steel blue ; breast dark glossy red, abdomen and under tail-coverts black. Total length 55 inches, culmen 1-2, wing 28, tail 2-0, tarsus 0-75. Abouri, 19. 2. 72 (Shelley). Adult Female. Above deep olive ; eye-brows, cheeks and under parts pale olive shaded yellow ; under tail-coverts orange yellow. Total length 5-5 inches, culmen 1-15, wing 2-8, tail 2-0, tarsus 0'75. Abouri, 21. 2. 72 (Shelley). The Superb Sunbird ranges from the Gold Coast to Angola and eastward throughout the Congo district nearly to the sources of the Nile. Of its occurrence north of the Gold Coast the only mention I find is in M. Bouvier's Catalogue of Messrs. Marche and De Compiegne's collection, which was partly made in Sene- gambia and partly in Gaboon, so that the specimen registered " Cape Verde " possibly, if not probably, came from the Gaboon. The species is abundant on the Gold Coast. There is a specimen in the British Museum labelled " Ashantee." Blissett collected several at Wassaw and Enimil, and the greater number of Ussher's specimens came from the forests of Denkera and Abrobonko, the latter place about six miles from Cape Coast Castle. Mr. T. E. Buckley and myself met with the species only at Abouri in the Aguapim mountains where it CINNYRIS JOHANNiE. 43 was abundant, but rarely in full plumage during the month of February when we were there. It specially frequents the large flowering trees of the real forest, and, I fancy, rarely comes actually to the coast, though it has been recorded by Dr. Reichenow from Accra. I do not find the species mentioned from the Niger, nor from any of the islands along the coast, but in Camaroons both Crossley and Dr. Reichenow met with it, Dr. Preuss has procured specimens at Buea in the mountains, and Mr. Sjosted at Bibundi. In Gaboon these Sunbirds have been found by Du Chaillu at the Moonda and Muni rivers, by Marche at Lope in the Ogowe district, where he informs us it is known to the natives as " Tschodi." According to Verreaux it occurs in Gaboon apparently during its migration, arriving early in Spring and leaving again in the Autumn, after the breeding season. Both sexes, he observes, have a sweet little song which may be heard in concert, morning and evening. On the Loango Coast it has been procured by Falkenstein and Petit near Chinchonxo, and in Angola, which is the most southern known range for this species, by Mr. Hamilton. This Sunbird ranges inland through the Congo district, having been procured at Yambuya on the Aruwimi river by Jameson, while waiting there with the rear guard of the Stanley Expedition ; by Bohndorff at Leopoldsville on the Congo and at Semmio in the Nyam-nyam country, and further still to the eastward Emin collected specimens at Bellima, Tangasi and Njamgabo. Cinnyris johannse. Cinnyris johannee, Verr. ; Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 199, pi. 61 (1876) ; Sharpe and Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1876, p. 305 Loango; Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) II. Bull. 1879, p. 84 Gaboon; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 49 (1884); Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1886, p. 249, 1889, p. 130, 1892, p. 22 Liberia; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 21 (1896). 44 CINNYRIS JOHANNJE. Nectarinia johannse, Bocage Orn. Angola, p. 166 (1877) Loango. Adult Male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green ; wings and tail black ; a broad violet-shaded steel blue collar separates the green of the throat from the bright red breast ; abdomen and under tail- coverts black ; pectoral-tufts bright yellow. Total length 53 inches, culmen 1*2, wing 2-5, tail 1-6, tarsus 0.65. Landana (Petit). Adult Female. Above deep olive brown ; a distinct buff eyebrow ; and pale ends to some of the outer tail-feathers ; beneath buff, with broadish dark central stripes to many of the feathers. Total length 4'5 inches, culmen 1-1, wing 2-5, tail 1-4, tarsus 0-65. Abouri, 21. 2. 72 (Shelley). The Scarlet-breasted Sunbird is confined to West Africa, where it ranges from Sierra Leone to the Congo. Specimens have been collected by Boucier at Sierra Leone, by the late Mr. A. T. Demery at the Sulamah river, and by Mr. Biittikofer on the Junk river in Liberia. la Fantee, Ussher considered these Sunbirds to be very rare, as all his specimens came from the forest of Denkera in the interior. In the Aguapim mountains, during my short stay at Abouri with Mr. T. B. Buckley, we shot six specimens out of the tall flowering trees of the forest ; this was towards the end of February, and like most of the Sunbirds they had not assumed their full breeding plumage, and were at that season on friendly terms with each other, assembling in large numbers around the same clusters of flowers. The type of Nectarinia fasciata, Jard., was procured by Fraser at Abomey in Dahomey, and Verreaux's type came from Gaboon, where specimens have since been collected by Du Chaillu near the Moonda river, and by Marche at Doume in the Ogowe district. Petit procured specimens at Landana on the Loango Coast, which is the most southern known limit for the range of this species. It is a scarce bird in collections, probably owing to its frequenting the forests, and rarely met with actually on the coast. CINNYRIS SPLENDIDUS. 45 Cinnyris splendidus. Cinnyris splendidus (Shaw), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 201, pi. 62 (1878) ; Nicholson, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 129 Abeokuta ; Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) II. Bull. p. 84 (1879) Gaboon; Shelley, Ibis, 1883, p. 548 Niger; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 50 (1884) ; Sharpe, Linn. S. Journ. Zool. xvii. p. 428 (1884) Nyam-nyam ; Hartert, J. f. 0. 1886, p. 580 Niger; Beichen. 1891, p. 392 Togolancl; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 22 (1896) ; Beichen. J. f. O. 1897, p. 47 Togoland. Nectarinia splendida, Gordon, Contr. Orn. 1849, p. 6 Gold Coast ; Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 167 (1877) ? Congo. Adult Male. Head and neck metallic violet, shading into green on the back and lesser wing-coverts ; wings and tail black ; the feathers at the base of the throat are metallic-violet edged with scarlet and form a broad collar ; pectoral-tufts pale yellow, remainder of the under parts black. Total length 5 inches, culmen 0-95, wing 2-7, tail 1-7, tarsus 065. Accra, 12. 2. 72 (SheUey). Adult Female. Above ashy olive with an ill-defined broad buff eyebrow ; outer tail-feathers with whitish ends. Beneath yellowish buff, palest towards the chin ; front and sides of the chest obscurely mottled by the olive brown centres of the feathers. Total length 4-9 inches, culmen 0'85, wing 255, tail 17, tarsus 0-65. Cape Coast, 30. 1. 72 (Shelley). The West African Splendid Sunbird ranges from Senegal into the Gaboon and Nyam-nyam countries. This species is the type of the genus Cinnyris. It appears to be far more plentiful from the north than the south of the Equator, and frequents equally the wooded or more open country both near the coast and inland. In Senegambia it is a common bird; Laglaise procured specimens on Cape Verde and Marche at many places between that cape and the Gambia river. Sir A. Moloney met with it at Bathurst, Beaudouin at Casamanse and Bissao, and Fergusson, Fraser and Marche at Sierra Leone. It is curious, therefore, not to find it recorded by Mr. Biittikofer from Liberia, especially as it is a very abundant bird on the Gold Coast, where Mr. T. B. Buckley and I looked upon it as the 46 CINNYRIS HABESSINICUS. commonest Sunbird at Cape Coast Castle, Accra, and in the Aguapim Mountains. There are specimens in the British Museum from Elmina, Ashantee, and Volta river. Dr. Buttner procured specimens in Togoland ; Robins at Abeokuta; Forbes at Lokoja and Shonga, on the Niger, and Mr. Hartert found it common near Loko, and observes that it has a very fine song. I find no record of the occurrence of this species in Camaroons, and according to Dohrn it has never been pro- cured on Princes Island. It however occurs, though apparently in no great numbers, in Gaboon, where it has been met with by both Du Chaillu and Marche, and at present the Ogowe river is the furthest known southern limit for the range of this Sunbird, for Prof. Barboza du Bocage informs us, that a specimen he once believed to have come from Loanda, is really from a doubtful locality. Of the eastern range of this species, all that I know is that Bohndorff collected several specimens at Semmio in the Nyam- nyam country, all in full plumage in February, and that the species has not been recorded in any of the large collections made by Bmin Pasha. Apparently the full breeding plumage lasts from February to August. Cinnyris habessinicus. Cinnyris habessinicus (Hempr. & Ehr.) Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 205, pi. 63 (1878) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 52 (1884) ; Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. 1884, p. 139, 1888, pp. 245, 533 Shoa ; Shelley, Ibis, 1885, p. 406 Somali; Salvad. E. Acad. S. Torino, 1894, p. 556 Somali; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 474 Somali ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 23 (1896) ; Cholmley, Ibis, 1897, pp. 200, 206 Bed Sea ; Lort Phillips, Ibis, 1896, p. 81 ; 1898, p. 402, 403 fig. Somali ; Hawker, Ibis, 1899, p. 67 Somali. Adult Male. Similar to C. splendidus ; but differs in the head and neck being metallic green with only tbe forehead and crown metallic violet. CINNYRIS HABESSINICUS. 47 Total length 5 inches, culnien - 85, wing 2-5, tail 1-9, tarsus 065. Ailet (Esler). Adult Female. Similar to C. splendidus ; but with the upper parts ashy-brown, and the under parts whiter with no yellow shade on the plumage. Total length 4>7 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 2-3, tail 1*7, tarsus 0'6. Ailet (Esler). The Abyssinian Splendid Sunbird is confined to North-east Africa ranging from Somaliland into Abyssinia and Kordofan. In Somali it has been met with apparently by every ornitho- logist who has visited that country. Mr. Lort Phillips writes : " This is the common Sunbird of Northern Somaliland, and is to be met with from the Maritime Plain to the top of the Wagga Mountain, the highest peak of the Ooolis range, where I found it breeding eai'ly in March. Its nest (see fig., p. 403) is hung from the extreme end of a branch, and is composed entirely of spiders' webs, decorated all over with minute cocoons. A little ' penthouse ' projects over the entrance, which must be a great protection from the rain in its exposed position." In Shoa it is likewise a common bird, and specimens have been collected there in full plumage from March to October. Mr. Blanford writes : "Very common," in Abyssinia, " near the coast, and, up to 4,000 feet above the sea, in the passes leading to the highlands. In January and February many birds were in the plumage described by Rlippell as N. gularis. Others, however, were in full plumage, and it is not clear whether the gularis plumage is assumed by all males after the breeding season, or whether it is only the livery of the first year. I am strongly inclined to the latter opinion." Mr. A. J. Cholmley writes : " This was the only Sunbird met with on the western coast of the Red Sea, and it was common everywhere." Von Heuglin found the species dis- tributed along the coast from Somaliland to Suakin, its most northern known range. Antinori believed that it shifts its quarters to the higher ground in July and August. 48 CINNYRIS NECTARINIOIDES. The type of the species came from the neighbourhood of Masowa, and the type of Nectarinia gularis, Kupp., a bird in the moult, from Kordofan, which is the most western known locality for this species. Cinnyris nectarinioides. Cinnyris nectarinioides, Eichmond, Auk, xiv. p. 158 (1897) Kilimanjaro. " Entire head, neck, back, rump, and lesser wing-coverts metallic brassy green ; upper tail-coverts metallic steel-blue ; lower throat narrowly edged with metallic deep blue ; breast with a broad band of orange vermilion ; yellow pectoral-tufts present ; abdomen, under tail-coverts, wings and wing- coverts (except least), under wing-coverts, and tail, black, the latter with the feathers (central ones particularly) edged with purple basally, and with green on terminal half. Bill, feet and tarsi black in dried skin. Wing 2-03 inches ; tail 1-47 ; narrow centre feathers 2-25 ; tarsus, '60, culmen, '70. Another adult male, obtained October 22, 1888, at Aruscha-wa-chini, south west of Kilimanjaro, measures : wing 2-07 inches ; tail 1-47 (central pair of feathers narrow but not fully grown) culmen -72. This specimen agrees very closely with the type, but the greater wing- coverts are narrowly edged with metallic green" (Eichmond). Richmond's Wedge-tailed Bifasciated Sunbird inhabits the Kilimanjaro district. The species is, I believe, only known by the two specimens collected by Dr. W. L. Abbott on the plains to the east of Mount Kilimanjaro, October 1, 1888, and now in the United States' National Museum, so I have quoted Mr. Richmond's original description, to which he adds : " This species seems to be related to G. mariquensis, or to one of its subspecies, but differs from all of them in the possession of moderate yellow pectoral-tufts, and in the very narrow long central tail-feathers, which project three quarters of an inch beyond the rest of the tail." C1NNYRIS ERYTIIROCERIUS. 19 Cinnyris erythrocerius. Cinnyris erythrocerius (Heugl.) Shelley, Mon. Necfc. p. 209, pi. 64, tig. 2 (1878) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 44 (1884) ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 38 Wadelai ; Emin, J. f. 0. 1891, p. 340 ; Beichen. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 55, id. Vog. Deutsch 0. Afr. p. 211 (1894) Kagehi, Bokoba ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 24 (1896); Neumann, J. f. 0. 1898, p. 235 Baschuonjo. Nectarinia erythroceria, Keichen. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 75 Victoria Nyanza ; Hartl. Abhandl. Bremen, 1881, p. 108; Pelz. Verh. Wien. xxxi. p. 144 (1881) Upper White Nile. Adult male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green, slightly glossed with blue on the back ; upper tail-coverts steel blue ; wings and tail black. At the base of the metallic green throat is a narrow metallic violet collar followed by a broad scarlet pectoral-band, the feathers of which have narrow subterminal metallic violet bars ; remainder of the under parts black. Total length 5'2 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 2-4, tail 2, tarsus 0-6. Magungo, 26. 11. 79 (Emin). Adult female. Upper parts and sides of head ashy, with a faint olive shade on the scapulars and lower back ; tail blackish and graduated with partial whitish margins to the feathers. Beneath yellowish buff, throat blackish with narrow buff edges to the feathers, and a buff mustachial band ; chest and flanks mottled with olive. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-1, tail 1-7, tarsus 06. Magungo, 20. 11. 79 (Emin). Heuglin's "Wedg'e-tailed Sunbird inhabits the Victoria Nyanza and Upper White Nile districts, and possibly ranges further south ; but the correctness of the following two references may be fairly doubted : Nectarinia gonzenbachii, Antin. Bianconi, Spec. Zool. Mosamb. p. 320 (1867). N. erythrocerca, Heugl. (?) Bohm. J. f. O. 1883, p. 193. The most southern positively known locality for this species is Kagehi in Usukuma at the south end of Victoria Nyanza. Mr. Neumann records it from Rashuonjo and. Emin has collected specimens at Bukoba, AVadelai and, in that latter district, also at Redjaf, Kiri, Muggi and Magungo. [June, 1699. 4 50 CINNYRIS SHELLEYI. Towards its most nortliern range the first known specimens of this species were collected by Von Heuglin and Antinori in the Rek country, which is watered by the Gazal river, and the former naturalist informs us that it is generally distributed over this part of the country to the west of the Bahr-el-Jebel, frequenting the flowering trees in the damper parts of the highland forests, and in March was beginning to assume its breeding plumage. Cinnyris shelleyi. Cinnyris shelleyi, Boyd Alexander, Bull. B. 0. C. viii. p. 54 (1899) ; id. Ibis, 1899, p. 556, pi. 11, North Zambesia. Adult male. Entire head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green with a golden gloss on back of head, neck and mantle ; wings and tail black. At the base of the metallic green throat is a narrow steel blue collar followed by a broad bright scarlet pectoral-band, the feathers of which are partially barred with steel blue, remainder of the under parts blackish brown. " Bill and legs black ; iris dark brown " (Boyd Alexander). Total length 4 - 65 inches, culmen 0-85, wing 2-5, tail 1*7, tarsus 0-65. Adult female. Similar in plumage to that of C. mariquensis. Above pale brown with a slight wash of olive yellow on the back and upper tail-coverts ; wings and tail darker brown with partial pale margins to the feathers ; an incomplete buff eyebrow. Beneath yellowish buff inclining to white on the chin ; chest slightly mottled with the dusky centres of the feathers. Total length 4-65 inches, culmen 085, wing 2-5, tail 1'7, tarsus 0'65. Shelley's Bifasciated Sunbird inhabits North Zambesia. My friend, Mr. Boyd Alexander, has done me the honour of naming this beautiful Sunbird after me. He discovered the species about sixty miles below where the Kafue river falls into the Zambesi, close to 31° E. long. The pair, both adults in full breeding plumage, were shot the latter end of December, being at the time in company with a number of Chalcomitra gutturalis, and like that species were busy in extracting the nectar from the acacia blossoms. The note of the male was a small flute-like whistle. CINNYRIS MAIUQUENSIS. 51 This species is nearly allied to G. bifasciatus in size and measurements, but differs in having the bastard primary smaller and more pointed, in which character it resembles G. mariquensis, and is intermediate between these two species in the golden shade being confined to the back of the head, the neck and mantle. The most marked specific characters for G. shelleyi are : the sealing-wax scarlet pectoral-baud which is similar to that of G. erythroeerius, and the blackish brown breast which resembles that of G. bouvieri. Cinnyris mariquensis. Cinnyris mariquensis, Smith; Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 211, pi. 65 (1876) ; Sharpe in Oates' Matabeleland, p. 310 (1881) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 256 Bamangwato ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 44, pt. A. (1884) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1884, p. 226, 1886, p. 286, Transvaal ; Fleck, J. f. O. 1894, pp. 346, 362, 412 S. TV. Africa ; Shelley, B. Air. I. No. 25 (1896) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 507 Zululand. Nectarinia bifasciata (nee Shaw) Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 374 Matabele. Adult male. Entire head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green, with a strong coppery gloss ; wings and tail black. At the base of the metallic green throat is a narrow steel blue collar followed by a broad deep red pectoral-band, the feathers of which are partially edged with steel blue or green ; remainder of the under parts black. Total length 51 inches, culmen 0-85, wing 2-7, tail 2-1, tarsus 0'7. Bamangwato, 23. 11. 73 (T. E. Buckley). Adult female. Above ashy brown ; tail with white tips to the outer feathers ; a whitish eyebrow. Beneath whitish, washed with pale yellow down the centre of the breast and with large triangular dusky centres to the feathers of the lower throat, front of chest and under tail-coverts. Total length 4-8 inches, culmen p 8, wing 2-5, tail 2, tarsus 0'7. Bamangwato, 23. 11. 73 (T. E. Buckley). The Southern Bifasciated Sunbird is confined to South Africa, south of the Cunene and Zambesi rivers, and has not been recorded from south of 29° S. lat. According to Andersson : " This species is very common in Ondonga, and 52 CINNYRIS MARIQUENSIS. is not uncommon in Damaraland ; it is also found at Lake Ngami. It is usually seen in pairs, and frequents the banks of periodical streams." The type of the species was discovered by Smith at Kurrichaine. The most southern districts known for the species is Zululaud, where the Messrs. Woodwards collected six specimens at Uhmdi and Eschowe. Mr. T. E. Buckley writes : " Quite the commonest Sunbird from north of Pretoria into the Matabele country. They were generally to be seen in pairs, or perhaps two cocks chasing a hen. Like all the dark - coloured Sunbirds, the beautiful plumage of the male is only to be seen on a near approach. From the specimens I have in my collection it would appear that the male changes from the sober colours of the female into his own lovely hues in October." He further remarks: "The males are much shyer than the females. I did not observe this species in Natal." Mr. Buckley brought home specimens from the Towani river in Bamaugwato, and from Tati in Matabele. Mr. Barratt procured it at Macamac in the Transvaal. Mr. Ayres tells us that they are rare near the Limpopo during the South African winter months, feeding amongst the aloes, which grow plentifully on the dry stony ridges, and that even at that season the males fight. He also found them at a similar time of the year hunting for small insects among the dry seed-tops of high grass, flowers at that season being exceedingly scarce. While in company with Mr. Jameson they collected specimens at Matje Umschlope, in Matabele in November, at Mangwato in December, and at Palatswie Pan in Bamangwato in June ; at this last place meeting with the species and G. leueogaster in tolerable abundance assembled round a very pretty parasitic plant, the blossoms of which resemble the honeysuckle. Mr. Oates procured it in Matabele at the Makalapsie river CINNYRIS OSIRIS. 53 near Shoshong, and there is a specimen in the British Museum labelled "Zambesi," but without any collector's name. Cinnyris osiris. Cinnyris osiris (Finseh), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 215, pi. 64, fig. 1 (1876) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 44 (1884); Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. 1884, p. 140, 1888, 245 SJwa ; Reichen. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 75 Simiu Ii. ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 593 Machako's; id. P. Z. S. 1895, p. 474 Somali ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 26 (1896) ; Lorfc Phillips, Ibis, 1896, p. 81 Somali; Elliot, Field Columb. Mus. Orn. I. No. 2, p. 40 (1897) ; Hawker, Ibis, 1899, p. 66 Somali. Nectarinia mariquensis (nee Smith), Hartl. Abhandl. Bremen, 1891, p. 30. Cinnyris jardinei (nee Verr.) Emin, J. f. 0. 1891, p. 60 Unianiembe. Cinnyris suaheliea, Reichen. J. f. O. 1891, p. 161 Unianiembe ; id. Vog. Deutsch 0. Afr. p. 210 (1894). Cinnyris mariquensis hawkeri, Neumann, Orn. Monatsb. 1899, p. 24 Somali. Cinnyris osiris suahelicus, Hartert in Ansorge's " Under Afr. Sun," App. p. 350 Uganda. Adult male. Similar to G. mariquensis but with the forehead and crown slightly more emerald green and contrasting more strongly with the coppery shade of the throat. Total length 5'1 inches, culmen 0-05, wing 2-6, tail 2, tarsus 0-65. Gasciane, Shoa, 29. 8. 78 (Antinori). The Abyssinian Bifasciated Sunbird ranges over Eastern Africa from Kakoma 5° S. lat. to Ailet 16° N. lat. Bohn procured the species as far south as Kakoma and Emin collected specimens at Karague, Kassni and Taboro. The specimens from the latter localities include the type of 0. suaheliea, Reichen. Fischer has procured the species at the Simiu river, Jackson at Machako's in Ukambani in March, and Mr. Ansorge at Kampala in Uganda. This species is apparently not uncommon in Somaliland, for Mr. Lort Phillips met with it in the Groolis Mountains, in company with G. habessinicus ; Dr. Donaldson Smith collected specimens at Milmil in July and at Sheik Husein in September, and Mr. 54 CINNYRIS BIFASCIATUS. Hawker a fine series, in full plumage, in January at Jifa Meclir and Ujawaji ; these latter have been named G. mariquensis hawlceri by Mr. Neumann. In Shoa, Antinori procured the species at Ambo-Karra in July, and at Grasiane in August, all in full plumage, and Dr. Ragazzi a specimen at the Gerba torrent. In Abyssinia Jesse obtained specimens at Undel Wells and Senafe, including the type of the species, and specimens have also been received from Mr. Esler, who chiefly collected near Ailet. Neither Von Heuglin nor Mr. Blanford appear to have met with this species during their travels, but Mr. Blanford mentions one that was shot by Captain Sturt at an elevation of 5,000 to 6,000 feet, just below Senafe. Cinnyris bifasciatus. Cinnyris bifasciatus (Shaw), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 217, pi. 66 (1876) ; Sharpe and Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1876, p. 41 Loango ; Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) ii. Bull. 1879, p. 131 Gaboon ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 47 (1884) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus., 1888, p. 211 Congo, 1889, p. 231 Mossamedes; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 27 (1896). Nectarinia bifasciata, Sousa, Journ. Lisb. 1886, p. 160 Benguela, 1887, p. 94 Quissange. Adult male. Similar to C. mariquensis but smaller ; the bill slightly less arched, and the plumage generally not so strongly shaded with the copper gloss. Total length 4-6 inches, culmen 0'75, wing 2-4, tail 1-65, tarsus 0-65. Landana, 19. 1. 76 (Petit). Adult female. Similar to C. mariquensis but washed on the upper parts with olive and on the chest with yellow ; lower throat and chest more striped but with less distinct dusky mottling. Total length 4 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-2, tail 1-4, tarsus 0-65. Landana, 6. 76 (Petit). Nestling. Similar to adult female but with the throat dusky with a band of buff down each side, and the chest feathers with broad black subterminal bars. Total length 3-5 inches, culmen 0*55, wing 2, tail 1, tarsus 0-6. Chinchonso, 5. 4. 76 (Petit). The Western Bifasciated Sunbird is the West African representative of the closely allied Bifasciated Sunbirds, and CINNYRIS MICRORHYNCHUS. 55 is only known to range from the Gaboon to the Cunene river. Verreanx's type of N. jardinei came from the Gaboon, and the real type of this species was collected by Perrein at Malimbe. Falkenstein and Petit have since found it on the Loango Coast and Captain Sperling on the Lower Congo. Monteiro collected specimens at Ambriz in March and at Colombo, on the Quanza, in November, and writes : " Very abundant about Benguela even in comparatively barren places, where, I have observed, they eat little insects, particularly small spiders." Mr. Anchieta procured it at Dombe, Benguela and Quis- sange, and Mr. Van der Kellen in Mosamedes at Banana and Ango-Ango, so that the Cunene river appears to be the boundary between this species and its ally in South Africa. Cinnyris microrhynehus. Cinnyris microrhynehus, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 219, pi. 67 (1876) ; Nicholson, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 355 Dar-es- Salaam ; Gurney, Ibis, 1881, p. 125 Mombasa; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 570 Dar-es-Salaam, Usambara ; 1882, p. 302 Bovttma B. ; Schal. J. f. 0. 1883, p. 360 Kakoma, Zanzibar ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 47 (1884) ; Fisch. Zeitschr. 1884, p. 339 Pangani ; id. J. f. O. 1885, p. 139 ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1889, p. 365 Tcita ; Keichen. J. f. 0. 1889, p. 285 Usegua; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 593 Masai; Kuschel. J. f. 0. 1895, p. 347 (egg) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 28 (1896) ; id. Ibis, 1897, p. 524 Nyasa. Nectarinia microrhyncha, Hartl. Abhandl. Bremen, 1891, p. 30 Usegua. Nectarinia jardinei (nee Verr.), Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 173 Mombasa; Fisch. J. f. 0. 1878, p. 280. Cinnyris jardinei, Cab. J. f. O. 1878, p. 227 Tcita; Fisch. and Beichen. J. f. 0. 1879, 347 Malindi. Adult viale. Similar to C. mariauensis, but very much smaller. Bill not so strongly arched, and with scarcely any copper gloss. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 06, wing 2-1, tail l - 6, tarsus 0-55. Lamu (Kirk). Adult female. Similar to C. mariquensis but more olive above and yellower beneath without the dusky mottling. Total length 4 inches, culmen 06, wing 19, tail 1-4, tarsus 0-55. Lamu (Kirk). 56 CINNYRIS MICRORHYNCHUS. The Least Bifasciated Sunbird ranges over Eastern Africa from the Zambesi to the Equator. The most southern locality known for this species is the left bank of the Zambesi, where Mr. Boyd Alexander collected seven specimens between the Shire and Kufue rivers, and writes: "During our stay at Zumbo, on the Zambesi, con- siderable numbers of these Sunbirds suddenly appeared on December 13, amongst the acacia growth, which was then in full blossom." The six males he procured were at that season passing out of the breeding plumage into the dull dress. They were certainly adults, for according to his note book, " the sexual organs were too much developed to be those of immature birds." This species apparently breeds towards June, for in that month Mr. Alexander Whyte obtained a male in full breeding plumage at Songue. In about the same latitude on the Mozambique coast, Serpo Pinto found the species at Port Bocage and Ibo in 12° 21' S. lat. Further north specimens have been collected by Thomson at the Rovuma river, by Bohn at Kakoma, and it is apparently also very common along the Zanzibar coast, at least as far north as Malindi, 3° 20' S. lat., where it was found by Fischer, and inland has been met with still further north by Mr. Jackson during his journey from the coast to Ukambani, so we may fairly take the Equator as the northern boundary of its known range. With regard to these last four species, they very closely re- semble each other in plumage, but with a little care they can be always recognised and they have each a well marked range thus : G. mariquensis, south of the Cunene and Zambesi rivers. G. osiris, Eastern Africa from 5° S. lat. to 16° N. lat. G. bifasciatus, Western Africa north of the Cunene into (iaboon. < '. microrhynchus, Eastern Africa from Zambesi to Equator. CINNYRIS COMORENSIS. 57 Cinnyris comorensis. Cinnyris comorensis, Peters; Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 221, pi. 68 (1879) ; id. P. Z. S. 1879, p. 676 ; Cat. B. M. ix. p. 48 (1884) ; Milne Edw. & Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) x. p. 244 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 29 (1896). Adult male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green ; wing and tail black, a broad reddish brown pectoral-band dividing the uniform green throat from the black of the remainder of the under parts, which contrasts strongly with the bright scarlet pectoral-tufts. Total length 4-4 inches, culmen 0-75, wing 2'2, tail 1'65, tarsus, G"65. Johanna Is (Kirk). Adult female. Upper parts olive, as also the sides of the head ; tail with white tips to the feathers. Beneath, pale olive-shaded yellow, fading almost into white on the throat and under tail-coverts. Total length 4-1 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 2, tail 1-3, tarsus 065 Johanna Is. (Kirk). The Johanna Sunbird is confined to the small island of Johanna or Hinzouan, also sometimes called Anjuan, which is situated in the Mosambique Channel about half way between the African coast and the northern extremity of Madagascar. The species was discovered by Dr. Peters during a short visit to the Comoro Islands. More recently Mr. C. E. Bewsher collected six specimens on the island of Johanna, where it is, according to his notes, very common, and bears the native name of " Shetozee. " The nest," he states, " is similar to those of others of the genus. The egg is greyish white, spotted and blotched, especially at the larger end, with ashy brown." Cinnyris bouvieri. Cinnyris bouvieri, Shelley, Monogr. Nect. p. 227, pi. 70 (1877) ; Sharpe & Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1877, p. 475; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 53 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 30 (1896). Adult male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green, with a slight coppery gloss, strongest on the ear-coverts; forehead, front half of the crown and the lores steel blue shaded with violet towards the 58 CINNYRIS LEUCOGASTER. bill ; wings dark brown, tail black. Chin dull black, remainder of the throat golden green margined towards the chest by a narrow belt of steel blue, followed by a rather broad one of metallic ruby violet mixed with deep maroon red; remainder of the under parts dark brown, with bright yellow and scarlet pectoral-tufts. Total length 4-1 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 2-05, tail 1-35, tarsus 0-65. Landana, 3. 6. 76 (Petit). Adult female. Above, ashy brown slightly tinted with olive ; with a partial buff eyebrow ; a few of the outer tail-feathers tipped with white ; beneath, pale buff; lower throat and sides of chest with very indistinct dusky central streaks to the feathers. Total length 4-15 inches, culmen 0'7, wing 2, tail 1-35, tarsus 06. Landana, 31. 1. 76 (Petit). Bouvier's Sunbird is only known from the Loango coast, which extends north from the mouth of the Congo ; here the type was collected by Petit at Landana as well as a female which I presume to belong to this species. The same collec- tion also contained a female probably of this species from Chinchonxo. It differs from the Bifasciated Sunbirds and approaches the Palestine 0. osea in having flame-coloured axillary-tufts and some steel blue colouring on the head, and differs from them all excepting G. shelleyi in having the abdomen brown. Cinnyris leucogaster. Cinnyris leucogaster, Vieill. Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. xxxix. (1880) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 40 (1884); Biittik. Notes, Leyd. Mus. 1889, p. 71 Upper Cunene ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 31 (1896). Cinnyris talatala, Smith, Kep. Exp. Centr. Afr. p. 53 (183G) ; Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 229, pi. 71 (1876) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 318, 832, pi. 7 (1876-84) ; Ayres, 1879, p. 294 Bustenburg ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 256, Bamangwato : Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 56 Matabele, Transvaal; Eendall, Ibis, 1896, p. 171 Transvaal; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zululand. Nectarinia talatala, Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 375 Bamangwato ; Bocage, Oru. Angola, p. 172 (1877) Benguela ; Sousa, Journ. Lisb. 1887, p. 94 Quissange. Adult male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green shaded with steel blue on the forehead, upper tail-coverts and throat ; wings brown ; tail black. Base of the throat edged with a narrow black collar ; CINNYRIS LEUCOGASTER. 59 pectoral-tufts pale yellow ; remainder of the under parts white. Total length 4-4 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 2-3, tail 1-8, tarsus 065. Adult female. Upper parts and sides of head uniform brown ; tail blackish, with the tips of the outer feathers white. Beneath white, faintly shaded with ashy brown. Total length 445 inches, culmen 0-75, wing 2-1, tail 1-5, tarsus 065. The Southern White-breasted Sunbird ranges from the Quanza and Zambesi rivers into Damaraland and Natal. In Benguela and Mossamedes, according to Anchieta, it is rare near Capangombe, common at Humbe, and is called by the natives at Quissange " Mariapindo," but this name appears not to be restricted to one species of Sunbird, but to be rather a generic than a specific name. South of the Cunene Andersson found the species to be abundant in the neighbourhood of the Okavango river during the rainy season. He also found it very common, though exceedingly shy, on the edge of the bush in Ondongo, where he obtained a nest on February 19: "the nest was very large and strongly built, and resembled in form and material that of C. fuscus ; it contained five small, obtuse, and pure white eggs. Another nest taken on March 27 also contained five eggs. This Sunbird is exceedingly lively in its habits, and at the approach of the pairing season it becomes inspired with the most lovely and exquisite melodies." Sir Andrew Smith met with these birds in the country between the Orange river and Kurrichaine. The most southern range known for the species is Port Natal, where it has been procured by Verreaux, and in Natal, according to Captain Harford, " they keep company very often with the White-eyes (Zosterops) and utter a note similar to theirs." Two eggs of this species sent by him to Mr. Layard are described as resembling those of Nectarinia famosa but were paler and less densely speckled, 075 inch by 0'5 and rather obtuse. 60 CINNYRIS ALBIVENTRIS. In Zululand the Messrs. Woodwards procured a fine series at Eschowe. In the Transvaal Mr. T. Ayres found the species common near Rustenburg in August where they were frequenting the same localities as G. afer, and during his journey up country with the late Mr. Jameson collected specimens at Palatswie Pan and Bamangwato in June, where they found them in company with G. mariquensis. Mr. T. E. Buckley while in Swaziland procured a male in imperfect plumage in June and another in full plumage in July. From the Zambesi, the most northern known locality for this species in East Africa, there is one of Sir John Kirk's specimens, now in the British Museum, and according to Mr. Boyd Alexander: "With the exception of Ghalcomitra gutturalis, this species was the most abundant of all the Sun- birds along the river, but at the same time its distribution was local. Wherever the thick woods gave way to open spots interspersed with acacia bushes, these little Sunbirds mustered in considerable numbers, full of activity, hardly heeding one's approach, but devoting all their attention to the acacia blossoms. After emerging from a forest silent and gloomy, it was a pleasant relief to come to such a spot, looking like a glimpse of fairy-land itself : the bright light playing upon the tender green of the acacias starred with innumerable yellow feathery blossoms, amongst which the Sunbirds were revelling, the sunlight catching the peacock blue of their backs as they travelled with jerky dancing flight from one bush to another, and at times burst forth into a chatteriug little song resembling that of our Siskin (Ghrysomitris spinus), which now and again would suddenly give place to the call note, a small plaintive whistle." Cinnyris albiventris. Cinnyris albiventris (Strickl.) Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 233, pi. 73 (187G) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. is. p. 40 (1884) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1888, p. 300 CINNYRIS ALBIVENTRIS. 61 Manda Is. ; Salvad. E. Acad. Sc. Torino, 1894, p. 556 Somali ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 474 Somali ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 32 (1896) ; Lort Phillips, Ibis, 1896, p. 82 ; 1898, p. 403 Somali ; Elliot Field Columb. Mus. Orn. I. No. 2, p. 41 (1897) Somali; Hawker, Ibis, 1899, p. 67, Somali: Adult male. Similar to C. leucogaster but with the throat violet shaded steel blue not separated by any pectoral-band from the white of the breast ; front half of the pectoral-tufts orange. Total length 36 inches, culmen 065, wing 2-1, tail 1-5, tarsus 0.65. Adult female. Similar to G. leucogaster but whiter beneath and with no pale ends to any of the tail feathers. The Somali White-breasted Sunbird inhabits Manda Island just north of Formosa Bay and Somaliland. Mr. F. J. Jackson collected specimens on Manda Island, and remarks : "Very common all over the island, especially in the dense bush on the sides of the sand-hills along the shore. I found several nests with eggs in May. The song is very much like the first few notes of our Common Wren." In Somaliland the type was obtained by Daubeny at Medudu, better known as Ras Hafoon, the extreme eastern promontory of Africa. . It appears to be a common species in Somaliland, and frequently to be met with around the flowering shrubs in company with G. habessinicus ; for according to Mr. Hawker: " This bird is common on the plains of Berbera," and Mr. Lort Phillips calls it " common both on the hills and on the plains, where it may be seen in company with its dowdy little mate wherever the mimosa is in blossom, or the aloe hangs its crimson and yellow bells. It is very fearless, and does not seem to mind being watched in the least ; " and later he remarks : " Fairly common from the Berbera Plain to the top of the Goolis Mountains." Mr. Elliot also collected specimens in Somaliland. 62 CINNYRIS OUSTALETI. Cinnyris oustaleti. Cinnyris oustaleti (Bocage), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 231, pi. 72, fig. 1 (1880) ; Cat. B. M. ix. p. 43 (1884) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 832 (1884) ; Buttik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1889, p. 231 Humpata ; Bocage, Journ. Lisb. 1893, p. 159; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 33 (1896). Nectarinia oustaleti, Bocage ; Orn. Angola, p. 545 (1881) Caconda. Adult male. Similar to C. leucogastcr, but differs in the metallic throat ending in a broadish metallic violet pectoral- band with the ends of the feathers maroon red, and the front half of the pectoral-tufts being orange red. Total length 4-5 inches, culmen 075, wing 2-2, tail 1-7, tarsus 06. Caconda (Anchieta). Oustalet's White-breasted Suubird is only known to occur in Benguela and Mossamedes. Anchieta discovered the species at Caconda, where he informs us that it is common. On one of his labels, attached to a specimen in the British Museum, is written " Xinjonjo " as its native name. Mr. Buttikofer refers to this species, a nearly full plumaged male, procured by Van der Kellen at Humpata on the Upper Cunene river in July. This is another instance of very closely allied species of Sunbrrds occurring in the same district, C. leucogaster having been recorded from Capangombe, Humbe and Quissange. Cinnyris venustus. Cinnyris venustus (Shaw), Mon. Nect. p. 235, pi. 74, figs. 1, 3 (1879) ; id. Ibis, 1883, p. 548 Niger; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 39 (1884); Buttik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1885, p. 169 ; 1886, p. 250 ; 1888, p. 72 ; 1889, p. 130 Liberia; Beiehen, J. f. 0. 1891, p. 391, 1897, p. 45 Togoland; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 34 (1896) ; Beiehen, J. f. O. 1897, p. 45 Togoland. Nectarinia venusta, Bocage, Orn. Ongola, p. 173 (1877) Biballa. Adult male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts golden green, with the forehead and front half of crown and upper throat violet shaded CINNYRIS VENUSTUS. 63 steel blue, the latter separated from the more violet lower throat by a few golden green feathers encroaching from the sides of the neck ; chin and a narrow pectoral-band black ; remainder of the under parts buff or pale yellow with bright yellow and orange red pectoral-tufts. Total length 3-6 inches, culmen 065, wing 1-95, tail 1-45, tarsus 055. W. Africa (Verreaux). Adult female. Above ashy brown, wings, upper tail-coverts and tail darker ; cheeks and under parts bufflsh white slightly yellower down the centre of the body. Total length 3'8 inches, culmen 06, wing 1-85, tail 1-2, tarsus 0-55. The Western Buff-breasted Sunbird ranges over Western Africa from the Senegal to the Cunene and Zambesi rivers. The types of Gerthia quinticolor, Bechst., Ginnyris ■pusillus, Swains., and Nectarinia parvula, Jard., all came from Sene- gambia. Marche and De Compiegne have collected specimens at Dakar, Hann and Joal. Dr. Hartlaub records it from Galam and Casamanse on the authority of Verreaux; Beaudouin procured the species at Bissao, and Shaw's type of the species came from Sierra Leone. In Liberia Mr. Biittikofer found these Sunbirds abundant, at Monrovia and Sckieffelinsville and along the banks of the Marfa, Junk and Du Quah rivers, generally in manioc plantations. In the Gold Coast district the species is apparently rare, for I only find it recorded as having been procured there by Drs. Reichenow and Biittner from Aguapim and Togoland. An egg from the latter locality is described as of a pale greyish shade with freckles of darker grey and brown forming a zone at the thicker end, and measured 0*6 inch by 0*5. Robins collected specimens at Abeokuta, and at the Niger the species has been obtained by Thomson at Aboh and by Forbes at Lokoja and Shonga. G. venustus has not, to my knowledge, been recorded from Camaroons ; its occurrence in Gaboon rests on a specimen formerly in Verreaux' s collection and one of Gujon's (Hartl. Orn. W. Afr. p. 48 ; id. J. f. 0. 1861, p. 109). 64 CINNYRIS AFFINIS. Prof. Barboza du Bocage refers two specimens from Biballa in Benguela to this species, so it is extremely interesting to find this Sunbird occurring at Zumbo on the Zambesi. Here Mr. Boyd Alexander has procured two specimens which agree with typical G. venustus both in measurements and colouration of plumage. Culmen 0*0 inches, wing 1'85 to 1-9, tail 1-3. Specimens of this species differ considerably in the shade of colouring of the breast, the abdomen being generally of a pale buff, and the axillaries occasionally not shaded with orange red ; while in others the breast is of a bright pale yellow with fiery red and yellow pectoral-tufts. Forbes's specimens from the Niger are in the last-mentioned plumage, and I presume one of Marche's from Hann in Cape Verde to have been likewise a brightly coloured specimen, as M. Bouvier separated it from the others in his catalogue under the name of N. affinis. The characters by which this species may be most readily distinguished from its near allies, are : thighs buff, not dark brown as in G. affinis and G. falhensteini ; the under wing- coverts are whiter, not shaded with ash as in G. affinis or entirely brown as in G. falhensteini. Cinnyris affinis. Cinnyris afl'mis, Eiipp. Shelley, Hon. Neet. p. 239, pi. 74, tig. 2 (1879) ; Gaclow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 40 (1884) ; Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. 1884, p. 140; 1888, pp. 246, 534 Shoa ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No 35 (1896). Adult male. Similar to C. venustus. Above with less coppery gloss ; breast brighter yellow, often shaded with chrome yellow ; thighs dark brown ; under wing-coverts ashy grey. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen - 65, wing 2-15, tail 1-6, tarsus 0-6. Bayrayguddy, 27. 5. 68 (Jesse). CINNYRIS AFFINIS. 65 The Abyssinian Buff-breasted Sunbird represents G. venustus in Shoa, Abyssinia and Kordofan. Tn Shoa the species must be fairly abundant. Harris found it there and Antinori and Ragazzi collected eleven specimens ; of these, five of the males obtained in June and August were in full plumage, and the three males collected in November and December were in imperfect plumage. In Abyssinia, Mr. Blanford writes : " This replaces N. habessinica above 3,500 to 4,000 feet and extends upwards into the temperate region. It breeds about May, and I saw young birds with the parents in July. The extent of blue on the neck appears to vary slightly." Jesse found the species plentiful about Rayrayguddy and procured specimens on his journey from Undal "Wells to Facado in May, but did not meet with it on his return journey, although Lefebvre found it common throughout the year in Tigre. Von Heuglin met with this Sunbird at Takah and in Southern Kordofan where it appeared to be a resident, and was in full plumage during the rainy season. According to his observations, it does not appear to be very generally distributed, for he found it on the eastern side of the Abyssinian highland at no greater elevation than 6,000 or 7,000 feet, only among the mountain valley and apparently it never descended actually to the coast. This may account for Mr. A. J. Cholmley not having met with the species along the west coast of the Red Sea. According to Riippell it is to be found plentifully in small parties along the road from Masowa to the Taranta Pass. With regard to its habits, it appears to breed in April and May, and Brehm informs us that a pair, although not in full plumage, had their nest almost completed. The latter was placed not more than three feet from the ground, between [June, 1SU9. 5 66 C1NNYRIS FALKENSTEINI. the leaves of a bush and a creeping plant; both were partly interwoven in the structure, which consisted of scraps of bark and fibre, fine grass and down, lined inside with hair and wool. The nest was of an oval form with an entrance near the top, and was partially hidden by a large leaf. The birds were engaged eight clays in constructing this edifice. Cinnyris falkensteini. (Pi. 3, fig. l.) Cinnyns falkensteini, Fisch. and Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1884, p. 56 Masai ; Pisch. Zeitschr, 1884, p. 339 ; id. J. f. O. 1885, p. 139 Naiwasha ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 591 Sotik ; Eeichen, J. f. 0. 1891, p. 161 ; id. Vog. Deutsch. S. Afr. p. 212 (1893) Karagive, Mpapwa, Taboro ; Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 16 ; 1894, p. 13 ; 1896, pp. 180, 233 ; 1897, p. 524 Nyasa ; id. B. Afr. I. No. 36 (1896) ; Hinde, Ibis, 1898, p. 580 Machako's ; Neumann, J. f. O. 1898, pp. 233, 234, 237. Nectarinia affinis (nee Hupp.) Bouv. Bull. S. Z. Prance, 1877, p. 450 Uganda; Hartl. Abhandl. Nat. Ver. Brem. 1891, p. 29 Baguera. Cinnyris affinis, Cab. J. f. O. 1878, p. 227 Teita; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 228 ; 1889, p. 365, Kilimanjaro; Emin, J. f. 0. 1890, p. 60. Adult male. Similar to C. venustus, but differs in having a shade of blue over the upper parts generally, and the throat more uniform violet and not divided in the middle by the green of the sides of the neck ; breast deep yellow tinged with orange; under wing-covert brown. Total length 3-8 inches, culmen 0-75, wing 2-1, tail 1-65, tarsus 065. Falkenstein's Buff-breasted Sunbird ranges from the Zambesi to about 1° N. lat. in Central and East Africa. Mr. Alexander Whyte has collected specimens in Nyasaland in June, July, August and September at Zomba, the Nyika Plateau and Kombi between 6,000 and 7,000 feet, one of which is a nestling procured in June. In German East Africa specimens have been procured by Emin at Taboro in the Uniamwesi country, at Mpapwa, Karagwe, and Baguera. On Kilimanjaro Sir Harry Johnston met with it at 4,000 CINNYRIS COQUERELI. G7 and 5,000 feet and found the species abundant at low levels, and Mr. Hunter also procured others on this mountain in August. The type was discovered by the late Dr. Fischer at Nai- washa Lake, and the species has been collected at Machako's in Ukambani by both Mr. Hinde in May and September and Mr. Jackson in March ; the latter traveller also met with it at Sotik in October. There can, I think, be no doubt that the Nectarinia affiiiis of Bouvier's list of Piaggia's collection from Mtesa's country in Uganda refers to this species. There is possibly a fourth species of this group of Sunbirds to be found in the little known country between the Blue Nile and Victoria Nyanza, with the following synonyms : Nectarinia souimanga (nee 6m.) Heugl. J. f. 0. 1867, p. 300 ; Nectarinia sp. (?), Heugl. Orn. N. O. Afr. p. 233 (1871); Nectarinia fazoglensis, Finsch in Heugl. Orn. N. O. Afr. p. lxx. (1873) ; Cinnyris heuglini, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 241 (1879). Cinnyris coquereli. Cinnyris coquereli (Verr.) Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 243, pi. 75 (1879) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 39 (1884); Milne Edw. and Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) x. p. 245 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 37 (1896). Adult Male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic green ; wings and tail black. A partial black collar consisting of a few feathers at the base of the green throat ; breast bright yellow fading into buff on the under tail-coverts, with a broad patch of scarlet down the centre of the chest. Total length 3-8 inches, culmen 075, wing 1-95, tail 1-4, tarsus 06. The Mayotte Island Sunbird is confined to the island of Mayotte, one of the Comoro group, and has been named after its discoverer, Dr. Coquerel. Pollen and Van Dam found these birds perched on the fronds of the cocoanut trees or flitting actively around the 68 CINNYRIS SOUIMANGA. acacias in search of the honey and small insects on which they feed, often hiding themselves in the chalice of the larger flowers. They were very active in their habits and constantly uttered a short song which resembled that of the Blue Tit but more feeble. They were generally seen singly or in company with Zosterops mayottensis. It is well known to the French colonists as the " Colibri." Cinnyris souimanga. Cinnyris souimanga (Gm.), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 245, pi. 76 (1876) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 43 (1884) ; Eidgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1895, p. 526 Gloriosa Is. ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 38 (1896). Nectarinia souimanga, Milne Edw. and Grand. Hist. Mad. Ois. i. p 277, pis. 105, 106 a , 107, 107 a ; Scott Elliot, Ann. Botany, 1890, p 261 ; Sibree, Ibis, 1891, pp. 429, 440. Adult Male. — Head, neck, mantle and lesser wing-coverts deep metallic green with lilac bronze reflections, lower back and upper tail-coverts olive, wings and tail blackish. The metallic green throat shades off into a narrow steel blue collar next to which is an irregular maroon brown chest-band, followed by a broader one of brownish black flanked by bright yellow pectoral-tufts ; remainder of under parts buff shaded with yellow down the centre of the body. Total length 4-5 inches, culmen 0'7, wing 2-2, tail 1-6, tarsus 0'6. Madagascar (Verreaux). Adult Female. — Upper parts and sides of the head olive with a slight indication of a buff eyebrow. Cheeks and under parts olive-shaded buff, with the dusky bases of the feathers showing as partial bars on the throat. Total length 4 inches, culmen 0'7, wing 2, tail 1-4, tarsus 06. Madagascar (Crossley). The Madagascar Buff-breasted Sunbird is confined to the islands of Madagascar and Gloriosa. These Sunbirds are bold, active and gregarious, generally to be met with in parties of fifteen to twenty together, in the bushy plains and along the slopes of the hills, constantly on the move, now diving their bill into the flowers to sip the honey, then capturing some tiny insect iu its flight, and follow up CINNYRIS SOUIMANGA. 69 their pursuit of food into the village gardens. Their flight is rapid and irregular, but is only sustained for a short distance. M. Grandidier states that the males are most numerous, but this may be owing to the bright colours of the male catching the eye more readily than the dull plumage of the females. He further tells us that their little short cry of " tsouhi - tsouhi " is mostly to be heard in the morning. Mr. B. Newton calls "the song strong, loud, and very like a Willow Wren's." He found on October 1, while paddling up the Hivondrona river, " a nest of this bird, containing two eggs, on the bank, almost overhanging the water ; it was a domed one, and was very prettily placed in some tall grass, the blue flowers of a Lobelia bicolor almost closing the entrance. It is composed outwardly of broad leaves of grass, decayed, and a little moss; over the entrance it has a sort of projecting pouch of a finer grass, and inside it is lined with down of some plant. The eggs, which were hard- set, are greyish white thickly freckled with light hair brown, so as to show but little of the ground colour. They are "59 inch in length by '44 inch in breadth." M. G-randidier describes the nest as small and oval, suspended from a bush, generally on the bank of a stream. It is composed of fine grass, leaves and moss, sometimes bound together with spiders' web ; in the interior there is little or no down ; the entrance is at the side. They lay three to four eggs of a dull greenish white, spotted and streaked with rufous and brown, mostly so towards the thicker end, where these markings often form a zone. They vary in size, but average 0-6 by 0-44 inch. With regard to the great utility of this and all species of Sunbirds, I cannot do better than quote Mr. G. F. Scott Elliot : " The flowers are often visited by Sunbirds ; Nectarinia souimangu was the commonest near Fort Dauphin. The 70 CINNYRIS ALDABRENSIS. correct position of the bird is to sit on the highest bract, and then to bend forwards and downwards to suck the sugary liquid by introducing its beak below the odd petal. Iu doing this it will explode a virgin flower, dusting its breast with pollen, while in older flowers it will touch the stigraatic surface, and so effect cross-fertilization. Sometimes it bops into the middle of a flower, however, and tries to reach the honey from the same bract by bending round the petals. Beetles and hymenoptera often visit the flowers to suck the sugary liquid which exudes over the edges of the bract. They will only produce fertilization by accident, however, while the narrow curved beak of the bird is excellently adapted to pass between the edges of the rigid bracts and suck the honey." Referring to the Sunbirds of Madagascar, the Rev. J. Sibree writes : " The native names for these little birds all consist wholly or in part of the word Soy, the meaning of which is at present unknown ; but we find Soikely, " Little Soy ; " Soimanga, " Beautiful Soy ; " Soiangaly, " Capricious Soy ; " and also Dandiana, possibly meaning " Stepper." The word Soy is also reduplicated in another name, " Soisby." He further tells us that the Hova or general names for C. souimanga are Soisoy and Soikely, and the provincial names Anatsdy, Soy and Anjoy. The name Soy is derived from the note of the bird, as has already been remarked by M. Grandidier. Dr. Abbott during his visit to Gloriosa Island, from January 18 to 29, collected four specimens, and remarks: " Common in Grloriosa. A very few were nesting at the time of our visit." Cinnyris aldabrensis. Cinnyris aldabrensis, Eidgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1894, p. 372; 1895, p. 536 Aldabra Is. CTKNYRIS ALDABRENSIS. 71 Adult Male. — " Similar to C. souimanga, but pectoral-band much broader and bright maroon bay instead of chestnut ; sooty breast-patch much more extensive, reaching, medially, to middle of belly; sides and flanks light yellowish grey, the lower belly very pale sulphur yellow (whole belly canary yellow in C. souimanga). Total length 4-36 inches, exposed culmen 0-70, wing 2-10, tail 1-50, tarsus 065 " (Eidgway). " Bill and feet black " (Abbott). Adult Female. — " Much greyer above and darker below, anteriorly, than that of C. souimanga " (Eidgway). The Aldabra Sunbird is confined to the island of Aldabra, which is situated in the Indian Ocean 9° 30' S. lat., 36° 30' E. long. The species was discovered by Dr. W. L. Abbott, and is known to me only by Mr. Ridgway's description, and the following notes by Dr. Abbott : " This, the commonest bird in Aldabra, is found in all localities. Like all other birds of the islands, it is extremely tame and unsuspicious, even alighting on one's arm. It breeds from September to January, possibly longer and at other seasons. More than one brood is raised, but I do not know how many. The female alone performs the labour of nest building and incubation ; the males, however, assist in feeding the young. The nest is suspended from a branch of a mangrove or of a ' buluchi ' bush near the shore ; a favourite situation being to fasten it to a stalk of grass or euphorbia hanging in one of the great pits or chasms so numerous in the coral rock of Aldabra. The nest is neatly constructed of fibres of bark, generally mangrove. The female selects a suitable hanging leaf or branch and attaches some fibres of bark firmly to it; other fibres are then attached to this until an oval mass is formed ; this is then opened out by the bird entering her head and then her body into the mass. More material is now added to the outside, the bird occasion- ally entering the cavity and enlarging it by kicking and fluttering ; finally the inside is lined with feathers. The 72 CINNYRIS ABBOTTI. construction of the nest occupies about eight days. Two eggs are laid and the period of incubation is thirteen days. The young are born blind, but open their eyes on the seventh day. The male has a very sweet song, reminding one of the American house wren, Troglodytes aedon." Cinnyris abbotti. Cinnyris abbotti, Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1894, p. 372; 1895, p. 523 Assumption Is. Adult Male. — " Similar to C. aldabrensis, but with under parts posterior to maroon bay pectoral-band almost entirely sooty black, with flanks more or less extensively light yellowish grey ; upper tail-coverts glossy violet black tipped with metallic greenish blue. Total length 3 inches, culmeu 0-70, wing 2-22, tail 162, tarsus 067." Type. Assumption Is., 18. 9. 92 (W. L. Abbott). Adult Female. — " Similar to that of C. aldabrensis" (Ridgway). Abbott's Sunbird is apparently confined to the small island of Assumption in the Indian Ocean, about twenty miles south of Aldabra Island. Here four specimens, including the type, were collected September 18, by Dr. W. L. Abbott. Cinnyris afer. Cinnyris afer (Linn.), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 249, pi. 77 (1876) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1879, p. 294 Bustenburg ; Sharpe, in Oates' Matabele, p. 310 (1881) ; Butler, Feilden and Reid, Zool. 1882, p. 246 Natal; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 35 (1884) ; Rendall, Ibis, 1896, p. 170 Transvaal ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 39 (1896). Adult Male. — Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts golden green ; upper tail-coverts and a narrow collar at the base of the green throat violet shaded steel blue ; wing brown ; tail black with a narrow white edge to the outermost feather ; a broad bright scarlet pectoral-band and yellow pectoral-tufts ; remainder of the under parts pale ashy brown. Total length CINNYRIS AFER. 73 5-5 inches, culrnen 11, wing 26, tail 23, tarsus 075. Drakensberg, 27. 7. 81 (A. E. Butler). Adult Female. — Above asby brown ; tail brownish black ; an obscure pale eyebrow ; cheeks and under parts very pale ashy brown. Total length 5 inches, cuhnen 1-1, wing 2-5, tail 2-25, tarsus 075. Drakensberg, 27. 7. 81 (A. E. Butler). The Greater Double-collared Sunbird is apparently con- fined to Africa south of the Orange river and the Limpopo. In Cape Colony the species has been recorded only from the southern portion, and is apparently local, for according to Mr. Layard it never visits the neighbourhood of Cape Town, yet it occurs at Stellenbosch, Swellendam and the Knysna. Frank Oates procured it at Mossel Bay ; Atmore found the species breeding in the Long Kloof in the George district in October. Captain Bulger collected specimens at Windvogelberg, Mr. Richard at Port Elizabeth and East London, and Atmore at Eland's Post. Mr. T. L. Ayres told me that around Durban in Natal the species was to be met with during the breeding season, from July to August, and gave me several specimens he had collected at Pinetown, some twelve miles inland. Messrs. Butler, Feilden and Reid considered it a resident in the Drakensberg kloofs, where they found it in the cold months of May and June and met with a nest there, near Newcastle, on August 21. It was "a pear- shaped ball of dry grass, vegetable fibres, cobwebs, &c, very neatly constructed, and suspended by the small end from the top of a good-sized green shrub about ten feet from the ground. The entrance was at one side, with a portico over it ; it was warmly lined with feathers. Unfortunately this nest was blown down in a snow-storm before the eggs were laid. One can hardly realise the fact of birds of this genus building with two feet of snow lying on the ground, but it is nevertheless a fact (B.)." In the Transvaal Mr. T. Ayres considered it to be a 74 CINNYRIS LUDOVICENSIS. common bird in the Rustenburg district. Mr. Barratt collected specimens at Lydenburg and Macamac, and Mr. T. E. Buckley in Swaziland. There is a specimen in the British Museum labelled "Zambesi (Meller) " ; it was formerly in Dr. R. B. Sharpe's collection, and was purchased from a dealer, and this evidence is not, I consider, sufficiently conclusive of its occurrence to the north of the Limpopo river, and I may add that in Bradshaw's collection there was no specimen of G. afer. Mr. Chapman is said to have brought down with him a specimen from the Lake Ngami district, but he does not mention the species himself, and if the specimen really came from that country, it most probably belonged to the allied form, G. ludovicensis. Mr. Atmore found G. afer breeding in October. The nests, he writes, " Were well woven with the fibres of Asclepias, grass-bents, snake skins, and all sorts of odd things, and then filled up with feathers. My boys have taken three or four nests each with but two eggs, and I believe that to be the orthodox number." The eggs, according to Mr. Layard, " are similar in colour (clouded greyish brown) and size to those of the western species, C. chalybeus." Cinnyris ludovicensis. Cinnyris ludovicensis (Bocage), Sharpe ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 830 (1884); Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 40 (1896); id. Ibis, 1897, p. 524 Nyasa. Nectarinia ludovicensis, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1868, p. 41 ; id. Orn. Angola, p. 169 (1877) Biballa. Nectarinia intermedia, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1880, p. 236 ; 1881, p. 65 ; id. Orn. Angola, p. 544 (1881) Gaconda. Cinnyris erikssoui, Trimen, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 451, pi. 32, Mossamedes ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 38 (1884). Adult Male. Similar to C. afer, but differs in measurements and has no violet sbade on the narrow steel blue pectoral- band. Total length 4' 7 CINNYRIS LUDOVrCENSIS. 7fi inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-5, tail 2, tarsus 07. Caconda, 1878 (Anchieta). Adult Female. Similar in plumage to G. afer. The BengueJa Double-collared Sunbird inhabits Benguela and North Zainbesia. Anchieta discovered the type of the species at Biballa, where, he informs us, it is called by the natives " Kanjoi," and at Caconda he obtained the type of Nectarinia intermedia. This species has been well figured from a very finely plumaged specimen and renamed G. erikssoni by my friend Mr. Trimen, who writes : " This handsome species was found by Mr. Eriksson to be not uncommon in the wooded ravines of the mountain-range called Sheila (' Serra de Chella ' of Keith Johnston's Library Map of Africa), rather over a hundred miles inland from the Port of Mossamedes at Little Fish Bay. He describes its habits to be precisely those of G. chalybeus and G. afer, both of which he had observed some years ago at Knysna in the Cape Colony, but which neither he nor the late Mr. Andersson ever met with to the north of the Orange river. Since seeing Mr. Eriksson's bird here described, it has occurred to me that the specimens of G. afer stated by Captain Shelley and Mr. Sharpe to be recorded by Prof. Barboza du Bocage from Biballa may possibly prove to be G. erikssoni, as the latter locality is only a few miles distant from the Sheila range." Mr. Trimen is certainly right in his last surmise, and this species must stand as G. ludovicensis. In the British Museum there is a typical specimen of Nectarinia intermedia, Bocage, from Caconda, which also be- longs to this species. It is not in full plumage, and its scarlet breast-band is not fully developed, but it may be distinguished from G. chalybeus by the scarlet of the breast-band being paler, of the same shade as in G. afer, and the narrow metallic belt above being bluer ; but its strongest specific character lies in the small size of the bill in proportion to the wing. 76 CINNYRIS CHALYBEUS. On referring to C. chalybeus, Sharpe's ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 315, will be found printed: "We also believe that we have rightly identified this species as occurring in Mr. Chapman's collection from Lake Ngami." This reference and the one in the same work, to G. afer having been collected in the Lake Ngami district by Mr. Chapman, must be both incorrect. As to their referring to G. ludouicensis, it is improbable, as there is no reference made to the specimens by Mr. Chapmau, although he gave a good list of the birds he collected in his " Travels, Interior, S. Afr. 1868;" but it is highly probable that he added these Sun- birds to his collection while he was in Cape Colony. That G. ludovicensis may occur in the Lake Ngami district is not improbable, for Mr. Alexander Whyte has collected in Nyasaland, on the Nyika Plateau in June, four specimens in full adult male plumage. Cinnyris chalybeus. Cinnyris chalybeus (Linn.), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 253, pi. 78 (1876) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1876, p. 425 ; Butler, Feilden & Reid, Zool. 1882, p. 247 Natal; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 256 Bustenburg, UmvuliB.; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 37 (1884) ; Kuschel, J. f. 0. 1895 (egg); Rendall, Ibis, 1896, p. 171 Transvaal; Marshall, t. c. p. 243 Salisbury; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 41 (1896) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zulu; Sowerby, Ibis, 1898, p. 569 Mashona. Adult Male. Similar to C. afer, but smaller and with the scarlet pectoral-band narrower and slightly darker. Total length 5 inches, culrnen 0-8, wing 2-25, tail 1-9, tarsus 065. Durban (Gordge). Adult Female. Similar in plumage to C. afer. Ceres, Cape Colony, 28. 1. 74 (Shelley). The culmen varies in length from 075 to 1-0. From Capetown 0'75 to 0-85 ; Natal 08 to 1-0 ; Mashonaland 0-85. The Cape Lesser Double-Collared Sunbird is confined to South Africa, south of the Orange river and the Zambesi. CINNYRIS CHALYBEUS. 77 It is the commonest and most generally distributed of the South African Sunbirds, yet it is in a manner local, being in certain spots partially replaced by G. afer, from which it differs somewhat in its habits, preferring the open country, where the low scattered bushes and tufts of grass afford a shelter more congenial to its tastes than the woodland country. Of its occurrence in the western districts Mr. Andersson writes : " I do not recollect having observed this bird north of the Orange river ; but I have not unfrequently met with it in Little Namaqua Land, and I am informed by Mr. Layard that it was brought by Mr. Chapman from the Lake-regions." It is improbable that Mr. Chapman really procured it in the Lake Ngami districts, as he does not mention it in his book of " Travels in South Africa," and any specimen in his collection not recorded in that work was more probably obtained near Cape Town. I found it very abundant at Cape Town, Ceres and Mossel Bay, Mr. Atmore has sent it from George, and in the Knysna district both Victorin and Andersson have procured it. Mr. Rickards collected specimens at Port Elizabeth and East London. To the eastward of Cape Colony in Natal I found it fairly plentiful, both at Durban and Pinetown. Messrs. Butler, Feilden and Reid write : " Very common in the Drakensberg near Newcastle, where we obtained examples in mid winter (May and June) and where it breeds. Seen in small flocks, or rather assemblies, on flowering trees in the ' Town Bush ' at Maritzburg on August 31." Mr. Ayres observed them most abundant in Natal in July and August, when the peach-trees were in full blossom. He says their song is very sweet though not loud. In the Leydenburg district he found them " plentiful in the spring and early autumn, when they congregate on the blossoming 78 CJXNYRIS CHALYBEUS. trees and shrubs ; they are also found in winter, but not commonly." On his journey with Mr. Jameson, they collected specimens at Rustenburg in May and at the Umvuli river, in Matabele, in September. At the latter place they were scarce, and had probably just arrived, for none were seen in August. Mr. Barratt procured this species at Macomac, Lydenberg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and in British Kaffraria where they were very abundant. I do not find any reference to this bird having been met with so far north as the Zambesi river ; but in Mashonaland Mr. Guy Marshall informs me : " This is the commonest of our Sunbirds ; like the others it is most abundant towards the close of the dry season, when the yet leafless Kaferbooms (Erythrina) are ablaze with their scarlet flowers, which seem to afford a special attraction to these birds. It is a familiar and fearless little bird, and is capable of singing very sweetly. The nests, although often suspended, are more often supported by twigs." "With regard to its habits, Mr. Layard writes : " It is one of the boldest and most familiar of all our Sunbirds, frequent- ing the flower-gardens in the midst of Cape Town, and even venturing into open windows to visit potted plants. Nests, reported to be of this species, have been brought to me, pendent, domed, and porticoed structures, like those of others of the family that I have seen. Eggs minutely mottled greyish brown ; " 065 by 05 inches. " I can confirm the statements of my correspondents, having myself taken nests of this species containing eggs and young birds. They are not, however, always pendent, being sometimes supported by twigs, interwoven with the structure. They are composed of cobwebs, stuck over with bits of dead leaves or chips of bark, and always placed on the outside of a bush, never among the branches. I have, however, seen one placed on the side of a CINNYRIS MEDIOCRIS 79 busli close to a rock, so that the bird had to fly round the bush to get to it. In appearance they exactly resemble the masses made and collected by one of our commonest (South African) spiders ; and I have more than once seen an inhabited spider's web forming part and parcel of the nest. Whether the nest was built in the spider's web, or whether the spider found it a convenient place and selected it herself, or was brought with a bit of web by the bird, and then took up her abode and enlarged it, I cannot tell ; but there the incongruous allies lived; and each brought up her brood, or would have done so, had not I harried them both." Cinnyris mediocris. (PI. 3, fig. 2.) Cinnyris mediocris, Shelley, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 223 Kilimanjaro ; 1889, p. 365 Useri B. ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 593 Kikuyu, Sotik ; Beichen. Vog. Deutsch 0. Afr. p. 212 (1893); Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 43 (1896) ; Neumann, J. f. 0. 1898, p. 241 Mau ; Hartert in Ansorge's " Under Afr. Sun," App. p. 250 (1899) Uganda. Adult Male. Similar to C. clialybeus, but differs in the bill being slightly more curved, and the abdomen pale olive shaded with yellow. It resembles C. chalybeus in having the head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts golden green, but the upper tail-coverts and the narrow metallic collar are of a greenish rather than a violet shaded steel blue followed by a deep scarlet chest band flanked by yellow axillary tufts. Total length 46 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-1, tail 2, tarsus 0-7. Adult Female. Above and sides of the head olive green. Beneath olive yellow, showing the dusky olive centres to the feathers, except on the centre of the abdomen which inclines to sulphur yellow ; axillaries sulphur yellow ; under wing-coverts white partially washed with yellow. Total length 39 inches, culmen 065, wing 2, tail 1-7, tarsus 065. The Masai Double-collared Sunbird ranges from Kiliman- jaro in Masai Land to Sotik (0° 35' S. lat., 35° 25', E. long.). The type of the species was discovered by Sir Harry Johnston on the Kilimanjaro Mountain at an elevation of 12,000 feet, who writes : " Fairly abundant. Only remarked 80 CINNYRIS STUHLMANNI. in upper regions." Mr. H. C. V. Hunter likewise met with the species on Kilimanjaro between 5,000 and 6,000 feet, and procured a specimen in imperfect plumage at the Useri river in July. Mr. Neumann met with the species in the Mau forest, Mr. J. F. Jackson collected two full plumaged males in Kikuyu in September, and at Sotik in October, and Mr. Ansorge shot an adult male in December at the Subugo forest in the Uganda Protectorate. '&' Cinnyris stuhlmanni. Cinnyris stuhlmanni, Eeichen. Orn. Monatsb. 1893, p. 61 Centr. Afr. ? Cinnyris erikssoni (nee Trim.), Emin. J. f. O. 1891, p. 346 Monbuttu. Stuhlmann's Double- collared Sunbird inhabits Central Africa. This rather vague locality is the only one given for the type which was forwarded to Berlin in Emin and Stuhl- mann's collection. I presume this species, if not the type, is referred to from the Monbuttu country by Emin as C. erikssoni. Nothing further is known, I believe, of this species, and as it was not entered in Dr. Reichenow's work on the avifauna of German East Africa, I omitted it in my " List of African Birds " presuming that it was not a good species, but at my request Dr. Reichenow has very kindly sent the character I have used for it in my key to the species of the genus Cinnyris. The original description of the type is as follows : " Cinnyris afra simillima, sed rostro breviore, fascia? pectoralis colore rubro obscuriore, abdomine olivacenti-brunneo distinguenda. A Cinnyris erikssoni rostro longiore et fascia pectorali rubro angustiore diversa. L. t. ca. 130-140; a. im. 64; c. 60; r. 24; t. 19 mm." Cinnyris fuelleborni. Cinnyris fiilleborni, Eeichen. Orn. Monatsb. 1899, p. 7 Kalinga. Cinnyris preussi (nee Eeichen.) Shelley, Ibis, 1897, p. 524 Kombi. CINNYRIS PREUSSI. 81 Adult Male. Similar to C. chalybeus, but with the abdomen uniform dark yellowish brown ; blue collar and upper tail-coverts of a violet shade ; quills with dark yellow on the outer edges, as in G. preussi ; under wing- coverts mostly white. Total length 4-7 inches, culmen 0'85, wing 2-2, tail 1-8, tarsus 075. Kombe on Masuku range, Nyasaland, July (A. Whyte). Fiilleborn's Double-collared Sunbird inhabits the Nyasa Lake district. At Korabi on the Maruku Range Mr. Alexander "Whyte procured a specimen in full plumage at an elevation of 7,000 feet in July, and Dr. F. Fiilleborn discovered the type at Kalinga in the southern part of German East Africa. Cinnyris preussi. Cinneris preusbi, Reichen. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 190 Camaroons ; Sjostedt, Mitt. d. Schutzg. viii. 1895, p. 33 ; id. Sv. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1895, p. 102 ; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1896, pp. 38, 64 ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 44 (1896). Cinnyris chalybeus (nee Linn.), Shelley, P. Z. S. 1887, p. 125 Camaroons. Adult Male. Very similar to C. fuelleborni, but with the dark brown breast only slightly tinted with yellow on the abdomen and under tail- coverts, under wing-coverts dusky ash with no white. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 0-85, wing 2-25, tail 165, tarsus 075. Camaroons Sept. (H. H. Johnston). Adult Female. Very similar to the hen of C. mediocris. Total length 4 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 2, tail 1*7, tarsus 0-65. The Camaroons Double-collared Sunbird is only known to occur in Camaroons. The type was procured by Dr. Preuss at Buea in the highlands ; Sir Harry Johnston collected two full plumaged males and a female in the same district at 7,000 to 8,000 feet in September. According to Mr. Sjostedt they have a fine piping note which they pour forth from the top of a bush, and are often to be met with in company with Elminia longieauda. [June, 1899. CINNYRIS REICHENOWI. Cinnyris reichenowi. Cinnyris reichenowi, Sharps, Ibis, 1891, pp. 444, 593, pi. 12, fig. 1 Sotik; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 45 (1896); Hartert in Angorge's " Under Afr. Sun," App. p. 350 Uganda. Nectarinia erickssoni (nee Trim.), Hartl. Abhandl. nat. Ver. Brem., 1891, p. 28 Baguera. Cinnyris ansorgii, Hartert in Ansorge's " Under the African Sun," App. p. 350, pi. 2, fig. 1, ManiuTta Adult Male. Similar to C. preussi, but smaller and slightly bluer above and with scarcely any trace of yellow on the wings. Total length 4-4 inches, culmen 0-63, wing 2-1, tail 1-55, tarsus 0-65. Sotik, Oct. (Jackson). The blue shade on the upper parts, and the shade of red of the breast- band are not very constant characters, but the short bill and violet blue colouring of the collar and upper tail-coverts readily distinguishes the species. Reichenow's Double -collared Sunbird inhabits the Victoria Nyanza district. The type of the species was discovered by Mr. Jackson at Sotik, near the north-east end of Victoria Nyanza. He has, further, procured at Nandi, at an elevation of 6,500 feet, an adult male with a rather pale breast-band, and a male in moult in May, and in the same locality a female, on July 8, 1898. Six days later he obtained an adult male in the ravine of Mau. All these specimens, as well as the type of G. ansorgii, I have carefully examined and consider to belong to one species. Of the latter Mr. Hartert writes : " An adult male, shot at Mandi Station in the Uganda Protectorate on March 16, 1898, differs from G. reichenowi, Sharpe, in the great extension of the somewhat deeper red colour of the breast, which occupies an area of about 23 mm. in length, while in G. reichenowi it extends for about 17 mm., tarsus 20 mm., culmen (from end of feathers of forehead) 18"3mm., against 20 mm. in G. reichenowi. The belly and abdomen seem to be a little darker than in CINNYRIS CHLOROPYGIUS. 83 C. reichenowi. It is not without hesitation that I describe a third form in addition to G. mediocris and G. reichenowi from almost the same localities; yet, on the other hand, it seems to be as distinct from G. reichenowi as the latter is from C. mediocris ; and Prof. Reichenow and Mr. Neumann, both authorities in East African ornithology, pronounced it to be an undescribed species when they saw it at Tring." The group to which I have applied the name of Double- collared Sunbirds presents several extremely nearly allied forms. These are most readily distinguished by the brown, yellow or ashy shade of the breast below the red collar, and the steel or purple blue shade of the metallic collar and upper tail-coverts ; these characters, coupled with the measurements of the bill and wing, suffice to distinguish e,ach species ; and the females may be generally recognised by the shade of plumage being somewhat similar to that of the abdomen of the full plumaged males. Cinnyris chloropygius. Cinnyris chloropygius (Jard.) Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 257, pi. 79 (1876) ; Sharpe and Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1876, p. HLoango ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 34 (1884) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1885, p. 169 ; 1886, p. 250; 1888, p. 72; 1889, p. 118 Liberia; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1887, p. 306 Leopoldsville; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 38 Tingasi; id. Ibis, 1890, p. 162 Aruwimi; Beichen. J. f. 0. 1890, p. 126 Camaroons ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 593 Sotik; Beichen. J. f. O. 1892, pp. 55 Uganda, 190 Camaroons; 1896, p. 38; Sjostedt, Sv. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1895, p. 101 Camaroons ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 46 (1896) ; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1897, p. 46 Togoland. Nectarinia ehloropygia, Hartl. J. f. O. 1861, p. 109 Bissao, Gaboon; Shelley and Buckley, Ibis, 1872 p. 287 Gold Coast; Hartl. Abhandl. nat. Ver. Brem. 1891, p. 29 Djanda, Uvamba. Adult Male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic golden green, with no portion steel blue ; a scarlet breast-band joins the green throat ; axillary-tufts bright yellow ; remainder of the under parts olive 84 CJNNYRIS CHLOROPYGIUS. shaded brown. Total length 3-6 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 1-9, tail 1'4, tarsus 0-6. Abouri, 20. 2. 70 (T. E. Buckley). Adult Female. Above olive, as well as the cheeks and sides of the head ; tail black with pale tips broadest on the outer feathers. Under surface of body and a partial eyebrow pale yellow fading into white towards the chin. Total length 3-5 inches, culmen 06, wing 1-75, tail 1-1, tarsus 055. Abrobonko, 30. 1. 72 (Shelley). Tlie little Scarlet-collared Sunbird ranges throughout West Africa from Senegal to Angola, and oyer Central Africa to the eastern shores of Victoria Nyanza. Dr. Hartlaub records a specimen, in the Berlin Museum, from Senegal ; Verreaux's collectors sent others from Casa- manse. Mr. Biittikofer calls it the commonest Sunbird in Liberia, and in the British Museum there is an adult male from Cape Palmas. On the Cold Coast the species is abundant : Mr. Blissett collected specimens at Elmina, the late Governor Ussher in Fantee, in the neighbourhood of Cape Coast Castle and the inland forest of Denkera. He also met with it further along the coast at the Volta river and Lagos. Mr. T. E. Buckley and myself found these birds at Abrobonko, near Cape Coast Castle, and at Abouri in the Aguapim mountains, but never saw them in the open country round Accra. In Togoland Herr Baumann procured a specimen at Leglebi in July. The type of the species is in the British Museum ; it is an adult male from the Niger. Marche and De Compiegne collected specimens at Old Calabar and on the Island of Fernando Po, where, according to Fraser, these Sunbirds are to be met with in flocks of from twenty to fifty individuals near the houses, perched on the long grass and low shrubs, and they have a short but sweet note. " A female procured breeding ; the nest, made of grass, was pendent from the branches of a small bush ; she alone was the architect, both CINNYRIS CHLOROPYGIUS. 85 carrying and weaving the materials ; the male was not observed to assist in any way." In Camaroons the species is said to be common throughout the country and is apparently equally abundant iu Gaboon, for there are fifteen skius from that country in the British Museum. Marcbe collected specimens at Lambarene, Lope, and Doume in the Ogowe district, and Du Chaillu at the Moonda, Muni and Oamma rivers. Petit procured specimens on the Loango Coast, at Landana and Chinchonxo, and it wanders as far south as the Lucale river in Angola, from whence there is one of Hamilton's collecting in the British Museum. The species evidently ranges over the whole northern half of the Congo district, for specimens have been collected by Bohndorff at Leopoldsville, by Jameson at the Aruwirai, by Bmin at Tingasi, Djanda, Uvamba and Bukoba. Along the northern portion of Victoria Nyanza the species has been procured by Dr. Stuhlmann on the islands of Sesse and Soweh, off the Uganda coast, and as far east, by Mr. Jackson, as Sotik, (0° 34' S. lat., 35° 25' B. long.). He has also collected two full plumaged males at Ntebi in March and September. With regard to the breeding of this species Mr. Biittikofer writes : " Its nest hangs at the end of a twig about three feet above the ground, generally in old farms, where grass and brushwood are growing up again. It is of a pouch-like, some- what oval shape, felted together with the soft fibres of plantain leaves and cotton, with which latter material it is very thickly lined, and outside decorated with interwoven pieces of lichen, which gives it a grey and white speckled appearance. The entrance, a round hole in the side near the top, is covered by a kind of jetty, built from the same material as the nest. Each nest contains commonly two, very seldom three, eggs of an oval form" (0'6 inch by 0'44) ; "colour, greyish white 86 CINNYRIS REGIUS. with concentric dirty streaks at the thicker pole. Collected November 14" Cinnyris regius. Cinnyris regius, Reichen. Orn. Monatsb. 1893, p. 32; id. J. f. 0. 1894, pi. 1, fig. 1 ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 42 (1896). Adult Male. Head, neck, back, lesser and median wing-coverts metallic green ; upper tail-coverts violet blue ; a narrow steel blue collar at the base of the throat ; centre of breast and under tail-coverts scarlet shading into bright yellow on the sides of the body and into olive yellow on the vent ; quills and greater coverts blackish brown with olive edges, the former with white inner margins ; tail graduated and blue black ; under wing-coverts yellowish white. Bill black ; iris and legs dark brown. Total length 5 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2'15, tail 2"1, tarsus 06. The Red-brested Wedge-tailed Sunbird has been recorded only as a native of Central Africa. Probably to this species should be referred the specimens of Mr. Layard's Nectarinia violacea, B. S. Afr. pp, 78, 79, of which he writes : "I saw a fine pair building a pendent, domed nest, with a projecting portico over the entrance, at Cape Delgado, on the East Coast of Africa. The nest was hung at the extreme end of a drooping branch of a Camarina, close to the sea-beach ; not far off was the nest of N. senegalensis." The latter mentioned species was no doubt Ghalcomitra gutturalis. Cinnyris violaceus. Anthobaphes violacea (Linn.), Shelley Mon. Nect. p. 23, pi. 8 (1876) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 11 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 72 (1896). Adult Male. Head, neck, upper half of the back and least wing-coverts deep metallic green partially glossed with lilac ; lower back and upper tail- coverts olive yellow ; remainder of the wings and the tail dark brown ; the CINNYRIS VIOLACEOUS. 87 green of the throat passes into lilac and then into steel blue towards its base. Breast yellow, strongly washed with orange on the front of the chest and tail-coverts, and shades into olive yellow on the flanks ; pectoral-tufts bright yellow. Total length 6'5 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 2 - 3, tarsus 0'7. Cape (Brit. Mus.). Adult Female. Olive, with an ashy shade beneath, and washed with yellow down the centre of the breast and on the under tail-coverts. Total length 5 inches, culmen 085, wing 2, tail 2-2, tarsus 065. Cape (Brit. Mus.). The Cape Wedge-tailed Sunbird is probably confined to the western portion of Cape Colony south of the Orange river and west of the Gauritz river, which separates the provinces of Swellendam from George. It is equally improbable that Mr. Layard ever saw this species at Cape Delgado, as that the specimens said to have been in Mr. Chapman's collection came from the Lake Ngami district. Mr. Andersson writes : " I have found this species pretty abundant in Little Namaqualand ; but to the best of my knowledge it is not an inhabitant of Great Namaqua or Damara- land, though Mr. Layard informs us that Mr. Chapman brought specimens from the Lake country. It is found singly and in pairs, often also in flocks, frequenting the slopes of hills and mountains, whence it descends to the low grounds, but only during the flowering-season of the garden plants and trees, amongst which it is especially fond of the sweet-scented orange blossom. With the exception of such excursions, it is not migratory. The male bird has a brisk pleasant song." Mr. Layard found these Sunbirds plentiful on the top and about the sides of Table Mountain, and also abundant in the Knysna district among the uncultivated hill sides, away from timber. Mr. A. C. Stark has kindly sent me the following note: "Breeds in western Cape Colony in June and July — mid- winter — even on the higher mountains, sometimes a second 88 CHALCOMITRA. time in September and October. Very common on Table Mountain. The nests are domed, but, unlike those of any other South African Sunbird, are never pendent, nor have they any projecting porch over the entrance. All I have seen (seven or eight) have been built in thick tufts of heath from a foot to eighteen inches off the ground, the sides of the nest attached to the twigs of heath. Nest constructed of small flexible twigs of heath, dry grass and narrow downy leaves, thickly lined with the soft white petals of a protea (usually). " Eggs two, white, dotted all over, but most thickly round the greater diameter with small spots and streaks of greyish brown. They measure 0*65 x O^S." Genus IV. CHALCOMITRA. Form very similar to that of Cinnyris ; tail always square, and the entire mantle brown, sometimes inclining to velvety black in adult males. Full plumaged males always have metallic colours on the forehead ; the other metallic coloured portions of the plumage are confined to the crown, wing-coverts, upper tail-coverts and throat. Females and young birds have no metallic colours, and sometimes the species to which specimens of these belong can only be determined by their measurements and habitat. The genus is confined to tropical and South Africa, and comprises about twelve known species. KEY TO THE SPECIES. a. Entire forehead of metallic colours . . . males in full plumage. a 1 . A broad scarlet chest-band. a 2 . Upper throat metallic green. a 3 . No metallic colours on the wing. a 4 . Metallic green mustachial-band much broader ; wings and tail paler, cinnamon brown . . . scnegalcusis. b i . Metallic green mustachial-band much narrower ; wings and tail bronzy brown ... . acik. CHALCOMITUA SENEGALENSIS. 89 b 3 . Least series of wing-coverts metallic violet gutturalis. b'- . Chin and upper throat black. c 3 . No metallic colours ou back or upper tail-coverts cruentata. d 3 . Lower back and upper tail-coverts metallic lilac hunteri. b 1 . No broad red chest-band. c". Throat metallic lilac. e 3 . Forehead and crown green. C*. Upper tail-coverts metallic lilac. a 5 . Larger: culmen 1 - 15; wing 2-9 ameihystina. b 5 . Smaller : culmen 0-9 ; wing 2-8 deminuta. d*. No metallic coloured upper tail- coverts kirki. ■ f 3 . Forehead metallic lilac fuliginosa d". Throat metallic green angolensis. e 2 . Lower throat buff adelberti. g 3 . With bright chestnut on plumage . adelbert. h 3 . No bright chestnut on plumage . . castaneiventris. b. Forehead brown like the upper parts. c 1 . Mottled with some bright colours . . . males in imperfect plumage. d 1 . No bright colours females. Females and young males are similar in plumage and size in C. senegalensis , C. acik, and C. gutturalis, but may be distinguished from all the other members of this genus in having the primary coverts distinctly marked with white, instead of being uniform brown. Chalcomitra senegalensis. Chalcomitra senegalensis (Linn.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 47 (1896). Cinnyris senegalensis, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 267, pi. 83 (1878) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 94 (1884) ; Kendall, Ibis, 1892, p. 219 Gambia; Reichen, J. f. 0. 1897, p. 46 Togoland. Nectarinia senegalensis, Bocage, J. f. 0. 1876, p. 435 Sencgambia. Adult Male. Dark brown fading into cinnamon brown on the quills, greater wing-coverts, upper tail-coverts and tail ; crown and a broad mustaehial-band golden- green ; chin and upper throat metallic olive green; remainder of throat and front of chest bright vermilion with a narrow subterminal metallic bluish green bar to each feather. Total length 5 inches, culmen 09, wing 26, tail 1-9, tarsus G"6. W. Africa (Brit. Mus.). Adult Female. Above brown ; some white on the outermost wing- coverts, especially the primary coverts ; outer tail-feathers with narrow pale 00 CHALCOMITRA ACIK. ends. Beneath buff, strongly mottled by the brown centres of the feathers on the throat and chest, and washed with brown on the flanks. Total length 4-6 inches, culnien 085, wing 2-45, tail 17, tarsus 065. The Senegal Scarlet-chested Suubird is confined to the northern portion of "West Africa and is only known for certain from the coast-land between 10" and 15° N. lat. Swainson writes : " It is probably one of the most common birds of Senegal, as scarcely any collection imported from that country does not contain several specimens ; " and Dr. P. Rendall in his recent notes on the ornithology of the Gambia remarks : " Scarcely a flowering shrub in my garden yielded any flowers the corollas of which had not been pierced by individuals of this species or of Ginnyris cupreus." It has been recorded by Prof. Barboza du Bocage from Goree, a small island off Cape Verde. Marche collected specimens in Senegambia, at Hann, Daranka and Sedhion, and in the British Museum there are examples from the Gambia, Cassamanse and Bissao. Dr. Hartlaub records a specimen in the Bremen Museum from the Gold Coast, which locality I feel sure must be incorrect, as it has never since been procured from south of Bissao, and for the same reason I agree with Dohrn that it does not occur in Princes Island. Many erroneous localities have been given to species, owing to naturalists who have not labelled their specimens with the date and the name of the place where they were actually procured having often had their collections referred to one locality although they probably added to them during the whole time of their travels. Chalcomitra acik. Chalcomitra acik (Antin.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 48 (1896). Cinnyris acik, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 265, pi. 82 (1878) ; Gadow, Cat. CHALCOMITRA ACIK. 01 B. M. ix. p. 94 (1884) ; Sharpe, Linn. Soc. Journ. Zool. xvii. p. 428 (1884) Nyam-nyam; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 38, Tingasi ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 592 Kikuyu, Busoga; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1892, p. 55, Bukoba, Sesse Is. ; id. Vog. Deutseh 0. Afr. p. 210 (1894) ; Neum. J. f. O. 1898, pp. 233, 234 Victoria Nyanza ; Hartert in Ansorge's " Under Afr. Sun " App. p. 351 (1899) Unyoro. Nectarinia acik, Pelz. Verb. Wien. xxxi., pp. 143, 609 (1881) ; Hartl. Abhandl. nat. Ver. Brem. 1881, p. 108 ; 1882, p. 206 ; 1891, p. 30 Upper White Nile. Cinnyris senegalensis lamperti, Reichen. J. f. O. 1897, p. 196 Kilimanjaro ; Hartert in Ansorge's "Under Afr. Sun" App. p. 351 (1899) Mtoto Ndei. Adult Male. Similar to C. senegalensis ; bat differs in the darker brown colouring of the wings and tail, in the green mustachial-baud being much narrower and in the bluer shade of the metallic bars on the scarlet feathers. Total length 5 inches, culmen 0-85, wing 2-6, tail 2, tarsus - 65. N. E. Afr. (Autinori, in Brit. Mus.). Adult female and males in moult are similar to those of G. senegalensis. The Acik Scarlet-chested Sunbird ranges over the Victoria Nyanza, Upper White Nile and Shoa districts, between about 6' S. lat. and 10' N. lat., and from 25° to 40° B. long. This species, as I understand it, varies in size to the same extent as G. gutturalis, thus : total length 5*0 to 5*7 inches, culmen 0"85 to l'l, wing 2"6 to o"0, tail l - 7 to 2*1, tarsus 0"65 to 0*7. The specific characters are : entire absence of metallic colours on the wing-coverts, which allies it to G. senegalensis only, from which latter species it may be always distinguished by the much narrower metallic green mustachial- band, and perhaps most readily by the darker colour of the wings and tail. The metallic bars on the scarlet feathers of the crop are less green, but vary in certain lights from steel blue to bluish green. The most southern known range for the species is Moshi on the Kilimanjaro mountain, where Mr. Widemann procured a rather large pale specimen, the type of Cinnyris senegalensis lamperti, Reichen., which is described as similar in plumage to cT -a 92 CHALCOMITRA ACIK. C. senegalensis, but larger: bill 1*12 inches, wing 30, tail 2 - 08, and differs from G. gutturalis in having no metallic coloured patch on the wing-coverts, the wings aDd tail paler, and the scarlet on the lower throat and crop lighter, and with green instead of blue metallic subterminal bars to these feathers. Mr. Hartert, in his list of the collection of birds made by Mr. Ansorge, writes : — " Ginnyris acih. A good series from Masindi in Unyora. " Cinnyris senegalensis lamperti (see J. f. 0. 1897, p. 186). A male from Mtoto Ndei in British East Africa belongs to this form, described as a subspecies of senegalensis, from which it differs in being much larger (wing 77 mm.) and more brownish on the back." I have examined Mr. Jackson's fine series of specimens from Machako's, Ntebi, Elgeyu, Bosoga and Kikuyu, and find they only differ in being slightly larger than the typical specimen I have described and those in the British Museum from Nyam-nyatn and Shoa. Emin and Dr. Stuhlmann have met with the species at Victoria Nyanza on the island of Sesse and at Bukoba. The former explorer also collected specimens at Langomeri, Redjaf, Magungo, Kiri, Mambero, Njangaba and as far west as Tingasi, in which latter neighbourhood Bohndorff procured specimens while in the Nyam - nyam country at Dem Suleiman and at Dem Bakir (6° 30' N. lat., 27° E. long). Antinori, who discovered the type of G. acih in the Djur country, believed that the species arrived there from the Equator about the beginning of February, when he first saw a few pairs, and migrated again towards the middle of April, as he did not meet with it later than the 15th of that month. He further tells us that the natives call it " Acik" and look upon its arrival as a good omen, foretelling the approach of the rainy season. CHALCOMLTRA GUTTURALIS. 93 The most northern known range for this species is the Gazal river, in the neighbourhood of which von Henglin found these Sunbirds plentiful, and records them from Wau, Bongo and the Kosanga river, meeting with them generally in pairs in the high trees around the blossoming creepers, and, with the exception of July and August, he found them there during the whole year. He believed he saw them throughout his journey from the Nile across the Belenia mountains. Chalcomitra gutturalis. Chalcomitra gutturalis (Linn.) Cab. J. f. O. 1878, p. 227 Zanzibar Is., Teita; Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 17; 1894, p. 14; 1897, p. 525; 1898, p. 553 ; 1899, p. 282 Nyasa ; id. B. Afr. I. No. 49 (1896). Cinnyris gutturalis, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 261, pi. 81 (1876) ; Nicholson P. Z. S. 1878, p. 355 Dar-es-Salaam ; Fisch. and Eeichen. J. f. O. 1879, p. 348 Zanzibar; Sharpe in Oates's Matabele, p. 310 (1881) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1881, p. 125 Mombasa; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 570 Pangani B. ; 1882, p. 202 Bovuma B. ; id. Ibis, 1882, p. 256 Matabele ; Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 247 Natal ; Schal. J. f. O. 1883, p. 359 Kakoma ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 311, 830 (1884) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 91 (1884) ; Fisch. Zeitschr. 1884, p. 338 Gt. Arusha ; id. J. f. O. 1885, p. 138 Wapoko- moland, Baraiva ; Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 55 Transvaal ; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 75 Eagehi; Matsch. t. c. p. 155 Luvule B. ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1888, p. 230 ; 1889, p. 71 Mossamedes ; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1889, p. 285 Quilimane, Bufu B. ; 1891, p. 160 Mpapwa, Tabora; id. Vog. Deutsch. O. Afr. p. 210 (1894); Kuschel, J. f. 0. 1895, p. 347 (egg); Marshall, Ibis, 1896, p. 243 Mashona; Wood- ward, Ibis, 1897, pp. 401, 410 Zulu ; Sharpe, t. c. p. 506 Zulu; Sowerby, Ibis, 1898, p. 569 Mashona ; Neum. J. f . 0. 1898, p. 229 Zanzibar. Nectarinia gutturalis, Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 164 (1877) Benguela ; Fisch. J. f. 0. 1877, pp. 178, 208 ; id. and Eeichen. J. f . 0. 1878, p. 260 ; Fisch, t. c. p. 280 ; 1879, p. 300 ; 1880, pp. 188, 191 ; Bohm, J. f. O. 1883, p. 191 ; 1885, pp. 46, 71 E. Afr. ; Sousa, Jom. Lisb. 1887, p. 93 Quissange. Cinnyris cruentata (nee Eiipp.) Tristram, Ibis, 1889, p. 226 Ugogo. Cinnyris gutturalis incestimata, Hartert in Ansorge's " Under Afr. Sun," App. p. 351 (1899) E. Afr. 94 CHALCOMITRA GUTTURALIS. Adult Male. Similar to C. acik, but of a more uniform darker velvety brown, and the least series of wing-coverts bright metallic violet, which latter character also readily distinguishes it from C. senegalensis. Total length 5'5 inches, culmen 1-1, wing 3, tail 2-2, tarsus 0-7. Pinetown, 30. 4. 75 (T. L. Ayres). Adult Female. Similar to that of C. seneqalcnsis and C. acik. Total length 5 inches, culmen 1, wing 2-75, tail 2, tarsus 07. Pinetown, 3. 4. 75 (T. L. Ayres). The Southern Scarlet-chested Sunbird ranges from Angola into Damaraland and from thence throughout eastern Africa, from Natal to 1° N. lat. on the Somali coast. In western Africa the species has been found by Welwitsch at Loanda, by Monteiro at Colombo on the Quanza, at Katom- bella and Benguela. Anchieta informs us that it is known to the natives of Rio Chimba and Capangombe as " Mariopinda," at Humbe and the Cunene as " Kanzola," and that it has a sweet and varied song. Mr. Chapman found the species common in the Okovango valley and in the Lake Ngami district, but did not see it in Damaraland proper, where, according to Andersson, they are not common, but in July, 1866, he met with it at Objimbinque and remarks : " They seem chiefly to seek their food amongst the ' tobacco ' trees now growing so abundantly in the bed and on the banks of the Swakop. Can the increase of this tree of late years have brought more of these birds ? I hardly remember to have seen them at Objimbinque previously." Mr. T. L. Ayres has sent me several specimens collected by him at Durban and Pinetown, where he tells me it is migratory, only arriving in the summer season and is never very abundant there. According to Messrs. Butler, Feilden and Reid, it is said not to be uncommon in the hot months near Maritzburg. In Zululand Messrs. R. B. and J. D. S. Woodward collected specimens at Eschowe, Ulundi and Santa Lucia Lake, and found the species abundant amongst the aloe-blossoms. Mr. CHALCOMITRA GUTTURALTS. 95 T. Ayres writes, with regard to a specimen he shot in tbe Transvaal, July, 1885 : " Whilst trying for a shot at Sea-cows one morning, along the Mahupan, I noticed several of these handsome little birds busily extracting honey from the flowers of a shrub in blossom ; there was only a patch of it a few yards in circumference, but this was all alive with Sunbirds, and, besides the present species, I noticed G. mariquensis and G. talatala. The next day I went with my shot-gun and obtained the specimen now sent ; I subsequently saw two others near Buffels, but was not able to secure them. This is the first time I have met with the Natal Sunbird since leaving the coast of Natal in 1870." In the British Museum there are eight specimens from Swaziland, and twenty-two full plumaged males from various localities between the Limpopo and Zambesi, collected from February to October. In Matabeleland Messrs. Jameson and Ayres inform us that the species is called by the natives " Icomo mazadoona." They collected specimens at the Umvuli river, August 16, and Quae Quae river, October 25, and write : " This species suddenly made its appearance in great numbers about this time, and remained plentiful for some- what less than a month, and then became scarce again, a pair here and there only remaining to breed. This was not for want of food, for the ' German-sausage trees,' on which they had been feeding, were still loaded with blossoms long after the Sunbirds had left ; so I presume they must have been passing to some more favourite locality." With regard to the species in Mashonaland, Mr. Sowerby writes : " Very common in bush- veldt and kopjes, but I never saw them before August 8. They are very pugnacious." From the same country Mr. Guy Marshall informs us : " This fine bird is not nearly so plentiful as G. chalybeus and G. kirki, and seems to absent itself from about January to June, though 96 CHALCOMITRA GUTTURALIS. perhaps it may be that the male loses his fine plumage during this period. The nest is generally supported among small twigs 10 or 15 feet from the ground, and is somewhat untidy in appearance, being almost identical with that of C. chahjbeus ; it is domed and porched, and is composed of grass and fibres intermixed with down and a few dead leaves, the whole being bound together with spiders' web, and the inside lined with fine grass and dowu. The eggs (075 by - 55 inch) are two in number, of a pale olive ground colour, spotted, streaked and pencilled with dark Vandyke brown and with underlying splashes and blotches, some of the marking being collected in an irregular zone round the larger end, and occasionally a good deal suffused. I do not recollect hearing this species sing, but it possesses a very loud chirp, which is often uttered with almost monotonous iteration." Along the Zambesi Mr. Boyd Alexander " first met with this species near a little village called Chia. A narrow strip of tall orange red flowering plants, not far from the river, at- tracted a great number of these birds as well as large flocks of Weavers. We found it easy to obtain our specimens, in fact, it was difficult to drive the birds away from this clump of flowering weed, while from time to time they took refuge in a neighbouring thick-leaved tree. The flight is jerky and erratic, and the note, often uttered on the wing, loud for the size of the bird, resembling a rapid rendering of the Green- finch's call. We found these Sunbirds in colonies along the river; their distribution, however, depended to a great extent upon flowering plants and acacias, whose blossoms they are extremely fond of. The distribution was decidedly local, and from the time we left the locality of one colony till we came across another, hardly an individual was observed. " Regarding their habits : they are rarely found very far away from water, in fact, more than once we observed a party CHALCOMITRA GUTTAraLIS. 97 of these Sunbirds hovering to and fro over the river itself, catching insects. When not breeding, the males generally travel from one spot to another without the company of the females. During the heat of the day, when all other birds have hidden themselves iu the depths of the wood, they are abroad, seeming to take a delight in the intense heat, always most active, while it is only in the early morning and evening that they take a rest from their labours and retire into the thick under- cover. " As the pairing season approaches, the male never leaves the side of his mate, and when courting her has a quaint way of swaying his body from side to side as if it was on a pivot right in front of her gaze. Moreover, he is constantly singing to her, uttering his song from the topmost twig of some tall acacia tree, while the notes both in tone and rendering are by no means unpleasant, and closely resemble those of the Lesser Redpole (Acantliis rufescens). "When feeding off the buds of a tree this Sunbird generally attacks the buds from some con- venient branch above, to which it hangs all the time by its feet, or it will give a great stretch forward in order to bring a bud within its reach. " Above Zumbo, near the river, we discovered a nest of this species on December 21. It was oval-shaped and attached to three slender branches of an acacia tree, and about twenty feet up. The structure was flimsy and untidy, made of fine grass interwoven with fragments of skeleton leaves, cobwebs and cocoons, and lined with the fluffy down of some weed. The depth of the nest was three inches, the circular entrance being about an inch from the top, the hole running perpendicularly down. Not a yard away from this nest was a nest of bees. We noticed that the pair of our birds constantly made use of these bees as guides to some rich flower store in the vicinity ; the male frequently followed the course of the bees, and more [June, 1899. 7 u 98 CHALCOMITRA GUTTArALIS. than once he attacked a bee returning, and carried it off. After we obtained the female the male bird became very shy, only to appear now and again above the high trees in the vicinity. The last locality where we found this bird in any great numbers was some sixty miles below the mouth of the Kafue river, which we reached on December 31. The land was low-lying and covered with groves of tall acacia trees. The birds were simply revelling amongst the freshly opened blossoms. " About the middle of December, the commencement of the rainy season in the Zambesi region, they begin to breed, and by the time the young are hatched the store of insect and flower life is abundant. At other times of the year partial migrations of this species occur, the birds following in the wake of rain clouds, and twice we observed after a local shower the locality was invaded soon by companies of these Suubirds. "All the male specimens, six in number, we obtained at Chia on July 31 were in full breeding dress. Further up the river, at Acuaza, the bird was again common. At Zumbo on November 10 and 13, and again on December 16, we collected for the first time five immature males which had only assumed the plumage of the adult as far as the chin, throat, foreneck and chest. A few metallic green feathers on the forehead were also visible. " On examining our series, and the dates on which the specimens were obtained, it would appear that the full plumage of the adult is not assumed till the second year." In North Zambesia the species is abundant ; Sir John Kirk procured a specimen at Shupanga, and Mr. Alexander Whyte at Zomba irj September and January, and on the Milanji plain in October at an elevation of 4,000 feet. Captain Sperling found these Sunbirds not at all rare at Mozambique and breeding there. Specimens have been collected by Dr. F. Stuhlmann CHALCOMITRA GUTTARALIS. 99 at Quilimane in January, at the Rufu river and in Usegua in September and on Zanzibar island in October and November. I have been given specimens by the late Mr. Joseph Thomson from the Rovuma river and by Sir John Kirk from Dar-es- Salam and the Usambara country. That the species ranges right across the Continent there can be no doubt, for Dr. Bokm met with them throughout his travels in about 6° S. lat. from Zanzibar to the banks of the Lualaba to the west of Lake Tanjanyika, and collected speci- mens at the Luvule river, just north of Lake Moero, in October and at Qua Mpara in March, when he observed the young birds just able to fly. To the east of Lake Tanjanyika he increased his collection of this species at Kakoma, Ugalla river, Gondar close to Tabora, at Simbaveni in August and at Konko in Ugogo in September. Dr. Fischer also found the species abundant in the coast district and in Masailand, often frequenting the orange and banana groves planted by the natives near their huts, and adds the following localities to its range : Maurui on the Pangani, Arusha, Kagehi, Larnu, Wapokomoland on the left bank of the Tana river and Barawa on the Somali coast (1° N. lat.), the furthest northern limit yet known for this Sunbird. With regard to the breeding of this species, the nests found by Mr. Ayres were generally hung " on the outermost twigs of trees, at no great height from the earth and very frequently over water." Captain Sperling describes the nest as "hanging from a twig about six feet from the ground ; it was kidney-shaped, with the two lobes downwards and the circular entrance opening from the bottom of one lobe ; the material of which it was built was dry, hay-like fibres and grass intricately interwoven." 100 CHALCOMITRA. CRUENTATA. The nests found by Dr. Fischer were hung from the outer boughs of the shrubs at from twelve to fourteen feet from the ground and composed of grass, roots, &c, and well lined with feathers. He informs us that this species is known to the Zanzibaris as " Tschosi katembo." The name Tschosi is apparently the generic name of the natives for all Sunbirds, as other travellers have applied it to G. microrhynchus and A. longuemarii, and it is curious to find apparently the same name, spelt " Tschodi " by Marche, applied by the natives of the Gaboon to C. superbus. The name of Cinnyris gutturalis inoestimata is proposed by Mr. Hartert for the birds of this form from the Bast African sub-region, and he writes : " Specimens of G. gutturalis from Bast Africa differ considerably from those of South Africa in being much smaller and must be separated subspecifically." In 1884 Dr. Gadow (Cat. B. M. ix. p. 92) wrote : " The smallest specimens of G. gutturalis occur in the Zanzibar district, the largest in Natal." G. gutturalis varies in size : culmen 09 to 1 - 15 ; wing 2'6 to 3 - 0. On comparing two fine specimens collected by Bradshaw in South Zambesia with two equally well-preserved specimens from Altoni (Emin) the result is that these specimens scarcely differ at all in size. South Zambesia : culmen 09, wing 2 - 85 to 2*9. Altoni : culmen 095, wing 2*8. Chalcomitra cruentata. Chalcomitra cruentata (Rupp.), Salvad. Aon. Mus. Genov. 1884, p. 141 Shoa; Shelley B. Afr. I. No. 50 (1896). Cinnyris cruentatus, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 259, pi. 80 (1878) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 93 (1884). Nectarinia cruentata, Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1877, p. 449 Uganda. Chalcomitra scioana, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. 1888, p. 247 Shoa. CHALCOMITRA CRUENTATA. 101 Adult Mala. Blackish brown; -wings and tail coppery brown, with the least series of wing-coverts metallic violet : crown and mustachial-band metallic emerald green ; chin and upper throat black, often with a few metallic green feathers at the base next to the broad breast-plate of bright vermilion feathers, each of which has a narrow subterminal steel blue bar. Total length 5*7 inches, culmen 0-95, wing 2-85, tail 2-2, tarsus 0-7. Bogos (Baler). Adult females and young males very similar to those of C. gutturalis, but with less white on the outer wing-coverts, the primary-coverts being uniform brown. The Abyssinian Scarlet-chested Sunbird inhabits Shoa and Abyssinia. I do not admit G. scioana, Salvad., the Shoa bird, to be distinct from the Abyssinia G. cruentata, Riipp. Monsieur Bouvier records the species as occurring in Piaggia's collection from Uganda, but as this is the only indication of the species having been found south of Shoa, it is quite possible that the specimen referred to was procured by Piaggia during his journey to or from Uganda and not in that country. An immature specimen of G. gutturalis, collected by Sir John Kirk at Tete on the Zambesi, was referred by accident to this species (Cat. ix. p. 94). G. cruentata is evidently plentiful in Shoa, for Antinori and Ragazzi procured twelve specimens there in May, June, July and September. Von Heuglin knew of the species from Fasokl, Abyssinia and Bogos, generally to be met with along the water courses, and describes it as active but with a weak flight like that of a Chaffinch, and a pleasing but rather insignificant song. Mr. Blanford found these Sunbirds about Senafe in the higher parts of the pass and along the hill-side of the Anseba valley, but nowhere common. However the species appear to have been met with by all the naturalists who have explored this country. 102 CHALCOMITRA HUNTERI. According to Antinori it arrives in Bogos in May and was most abundant at Keren from May to the end of July, but Brehru met with specimens in the same country during March and April. The males probably cast off their bright plumage about October, to assume it again in February or March, as I find no record of full plumaged males having been collected during the winter months. The only character which Count Salvadori proposes for his G. scioana is the appearance of a few metallic green feathers on the base of the black throat. I am, however, convinced that this is only an accidental occurrence, for I have seen specimens in the British Museum procured by Blanford and Jesse at Senafe, and again at Bogos by the same gentlemen, and others by Mr. Esler. They were found in each instance along with the true G. cruentata. Chalcomitra hunteri. Chalcomitra hunteri (Shelley), Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 475 Somali ; Shelley. B. Afr. I. No. 51 (1896) ; Elliot, Field Colomb. Mus. Orn. I. No. 2 (1897) Somali. Cinnyris hunteri, Shelley, P. Z. S. 1889, p. 365, pi. 41, fig. 2, Useri B; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 592, Teita; Eeicheu. Vog. Deutsch. O. Afr. p. 210 (1894) ; Salvad. E. Acad. Torin. 1894, p. 556 Somali; Hawker, Ibis, 1899, p. 67 Somali; Hartert in Ansorge's "Under Afr. Sun," App. p. 351 (1899) Kinani and Tsavo B. Adult Male. Velvety brownish black, the anterior three quarters of the crown metallic green, the hinder feathers glossed with violet ; least wing- coverts, rump and upper tail-coverts metallic violet ; a metallic green mustachial-band ; chin and upper throat black ; lower throat vermilion with a few metallic violet bands to the feathers, most numerous towards its junction with the black of the upper throat. Total length 5"6 inches, culmeu 1-1, wing 2-85, tail 2-1, tarsus 07. Useri E. 7. 89 (H. C. V. Hunter). Adult females and young males are similar to those of C. cruentata. CHALCOMITRA AMETHYSTINA. 103 Hunter's Scarlet-cliested Sunbird ranges from the Teita country into Sornaliland. The types, a male and female in full plumage, were discovered by Mr. H. C. V. Hunter, in July, at the Useri river, which rises from the north-east flank of the Kilimanjaro mountain. Mr. Jackson has also procured the species in the Teita country at the Voi river, and Mr. Ansorge at the Kinani and Tsavo rivers. This Sunbird has not been, yet, recorded from German East Africa, but ranges northward into Somaliland, where Mr. Ruspoli has procured a specimen at Mandera in the Golis mountains ; Mr. Elliot at Hullier, where he found it not uncommon ; and Mr. Hawker shot the only specimen he saw at Ujawaji in January. Chalcomitra amethystina. Chalcoinitra amethystina (Shaw), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 52 (1896). Cinnyris ainethystinus, Shelley, Mon. Neet. p. 269, pi. 84 (1878) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1879, p. 294 Transvaal ; Butler, Fielden and Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 247 Natal; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 96 (1884); Ayres, Ibis, 1884, p. 226 Transvaal; Kuschel. J. f. 0. 1895, p. 346 (egg); Bendall, Ibis, 1896, p. 171 Transvaal; Sbarpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zululand. Adult Male. Velvety black with a lilac bronze gloss, wings and tail of a more coppery shade ; crown metallic green ; least series of wing-coverts violet shaded steel blue ; upper tail-coverts and throat metallic lilac. Total length 5'3 inches, culmen 115, wing 2-9, tail 2, tarsus 0-7. Pinetown, 15. 5. 75 (T. L. Ayres). Adult Female. Above ashy olive, wings and tail darker and browner, with the outer feathers of the latter tipped with white ; eyebrows and under parts buff, with the throat dusky black and the chest and under tail-coverts mottled by the dark centres of the feathers. Total length 4-9 inches, culmen PI, wing 2-6, tail 1-9, tarsus 0-7. Pinetown, 2. 2. 75 (T. L. Ayres). Adult Male in moult and Young. Similar to adult female, but with the throat jet black. Pinetown, 3. 5. 75 (T. L. Ayres). 104 CHALCOMITRA AMETHYSTINA. The Greater Amethyst Sunbird inhabits South Zambesia, ranging south from the Limpopo, 22 s S. lat., and east from the Swellendam district of Cape Colony, 22° E. long. According to Mr. Layard the species, although abundant in the eastern provinces of Cape Colony, has never been seen near Capetown. He received specimens from Swellendam and considered it to be not very uncommon in the forest districts. Mr. Atmore writes : " I have not seen this species west of the Gouritz river ; on the other side they are plentiful, especially when the 'Wild dagga ' is in flower." Mr. Atmore also collected examples at Bland's Post and Grahamstown. Levaillant discovered the type at the Gamtoos river. Mr. Ricket found these Sunbirds near Port Elizabeth frequenting the flowers of the aloes, but not in the same abundance here as at East London during the flowering season of the Tecoma or Cape Honeysuckle. At Kingwilliamstown it has been met with by Lieut. Anstey. Mr. T. L. Ayres, who was living at Pinetown when I visited Natal, informed me that these Sun- birds remained there throughout the year, frequenting the more bushy country. Captain Harford found them breeding in November, and Messrs. Butler, Feilden and Reid remark : " Not uncommon from Durban as far up country as Ladysmith; at Colenso it was common in November, and at Durban in August and December." In Zululand, the Messrs. "Woodwards collected a series at Bschowe, and one full plumaged male in June at Santa Lucia Lake, and write : " Is very partial to the mistletoes and other flowering parasites that grow on the mimosa-trees. It is of a very pugnacious disposition. We have found several of their nests hanging from the low trees ; these are domed and loosely put together, composed of grass, dead leaves, and cobwebs; the eggs are yellowish white." From the Transvaal Mr. T. Ayres writes : " This Sunbird is very plentiful in some localities, notably about ' Oliphants CHALCOMITRA DEMINUTA. 105 Nek,' a pass in the Magaliesbergen, about twelve miles from Rustenburg, where there is a good deal of bush and much parasite plant," and further remarks : " This species is common amongst the Magaliesbergen, especially during the winter months, June, July and August, when it is in its brightest plumage." Mr. Barratt met with the species between Potchefstroora and Rustenburg, and saw a few in the bush near Pretoria ; he also obtained it at East London in company with G. chalybeus, and found it to be much shyer than that bird. In the Barberton district Dr. P. Rendall procured a specimen in April in the Bonanza Valley. Mr. T. B. Buckley found the species to be abundant in Swaziland, but doubted its crossing the Limpopo into Matabele. Dr. Bradshaw, who made a large collection from north of the Limpopo, never, I believe, procured this species during his journey. With regard to the breeding of this Sunbird, Mr. Atmore writes : " The nest is a curious structure, hanging on the branch of an apple-tree, very rough outside, composed of short bits of stick, grass, and spiders'-web, arched, as are the nests of all the tribe. The number of eggs appears to be two, as we did not take these till they were incubated ; before they were blown they were of a soft, creamy yellow colour." Chalcomitra deminuta. Chalcornitra deminuta, Cab. J. f. 0. 1880, p. 419 Angola; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 53 (I.e. dimidiata, err. 1896). Nectarinia amethystina (nee Shaw), Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 163 (1877) Caconda ; Sousa, Jorn. Lisb. 1888, p. 221 Qidndumbo. Cinnyris amethystina, Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 96 (pt. Zambesi and Angola) ; Dubois, Bull. Mus. E. Belg. 1886, p. 148 Tanganyika ; Matsch. J. f. O. 1887, p. 155 Lufuha B., Luvide B. Cinnyris bradshawi, Sharpe, Ibis, 1898, p. 137 Witu ; S. of Zambesi (Bradshaw). 106 CHALCOMTTRA DEMINUTA. Adults. Similar to C. amethystina but smaller, browner and with a much shorter bill. Total length 5 6 inches, culmen 09, wing 2-8, tail 2-2, tarsus 0-65. Caconda (Anehieta). Adult females and young males are similar in plumage to those of C. amethystina. The Little Amethyst Sunbird inhabits South Tropical Africa between about 2° to 20° S. lat., ranging from north of the Limpopo or Orange rivers through Benguela, Angola and Central Africa to Witu near the mouth of the Tana river. The late Dr. Bradshaw during his collecting tour between the Orange river and Mashonaland procured a full plumaged male which I refer to the present species, the type of which was discovered by Schiitt in Angola. Anehieta collected specimens in Benguela at Caconda and Quindumbo, and to this species, no doubt, belong the specimens referred to G. amethystina which were brought to Europe by Captain Storms from his journey to Lake Tanjanyika, and those by Bohm from the Lufuka and Luvule rivers to the west of that lake. It is curious not to find the species recorded from German East Africa, for the type of Ginnyris bradshawi, which I do not consider should be separated from G. deminuta, was obtained by Mr. Jackson at Witu on June 16, 1891. and it is worthy of notice that he also procured a full plumaged male of G. hirki at the same place a few days previously, on March 4. The two specimens referred to G. bradshawi by Dr. R. B. Sharpe are too widely separated geographically to belong to a species distinct from both G. deminuta and C. hirki, the ranges of which would closely flank on each side that of G. bradshawi. If I am wrong in referring G. bradshaioi to G. deminuta, the only other alternative would be to consider the two specimens referred to G. bradshawi as abnormal varieties of G. hirki, tending to revert to the G. amethystina form. CHALCOMITRA KIRKI. 107 Chalcomitra kirki. Chalcomitra kirki (Shelley), id. B. Afr. I. No. 54 (1896). Cinnyris kirki, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 273, pi. 85 (1876) ; id. P. Z. S. 1881, p. 571 Usambara ; Gumey, Ibis, 1881, p. 125 Mombasa; Gadow, Cat. B. M. is. p. 97 (1884) ; Fisch. J. f. 0. 1885, p. 139 Mambrui, Gt. Arusha; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 228 Kilimanjaro ; id. Ibis, 1888, p. 300, Manda Is.; id. P. Z. S. 1889, p. 366 Kiliman- jaro; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 592 Machako's ; Reichen. J. f. 0. 1891, p. 161, Taboro; id. Vog. Deutsch O. Afr. p. 210 (1894); Kuschel, J. f. 0. 1895, p. 346 (egg) ; Jackson, Ibis, 1898, p. 137 Witu ; Sowerby, t. c. p. 569 Mashona ; Hinde, t. c. p. 579 Machako's. Nectarinia kirki, Haiti. Abhandl. Brem. 1891, p. 27 Bagamoyo. Chalcomitra kalckreuthi, Cab. J. f. 0. 1878, pp. 205, 227 Ndi, Eitui ; Schal. J. f. 0. 1883, p. 359 Kakoma. Nectarinia kalckreuthi, Fisch. J. f. 0. 1878, p. 280 Mombasa. Cinnyris kalckreuthi, Fisch. and Beichen. J. f. O. 1879, p. 343 Tshara, Mambrui. Adult Male. Similar to C. amethystina, but smaller, with no metallic colour on the upper tail-coverts and with the lesser wing-coverts more lilac. Total length 4-8 inches, culmen 0'95, wing 2-55, tail 1-85, tarsus - 65. S. Zambesia (Bradshaw). Adult Female. Similar in plumage to C. crueutata. Total length 4-8 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 2-45, tail 165, tarsus 0-65. Pangani (Kirk). Kirk's Amethyst Sunbird ranges over Eastern Africa between the Limpopo river and the Equator, eastward of about 30° E. long. The most southern known limit for this species is the Urnfuli river, a tributary of the Limpopo : here Messrs. Jameson and Ayres collected specimens in full plumage in September, and write : " These birds made their appearance much about the same time as G. gutturalis, but by no means so plentifully, feeding together with them on the flowers of the ' German sausage tree.' " In Mashonaland Mr. Sowei^by considered it to be uncommon, as he only saw three or four of them ; but according to Mr. Guy Marshall's observation in the same country, this little species is about as 108 CHALCOMITRA KIRKI. plentiful as C. chalybeus, and " the nest, which is usually suspended from a twig, is made of much the same material but is neater, more compact and with less spiders' web interwoven in the structure. The eggs, 0"7 by 0*5 inch, are pale greenish grey, clouded streakily with very pale olive so as to almost obscure the ground colour." Dr. Bradshaw's collection contained several unlabelled specimens. To the north of the Zambesi Sir John Kirk procured the type of the species, an adult male, at Shupanga near where the Shire river joins the Zambesi. He informs us that it is there known to the natives as " Sungwe " and adds : " The Sunbirds are abundant in open ground covered with flower-bearing bushes, such as Poivreas, Dalbergias, Acacias, &c, and they frequent especially such plants as the Leonitis, searching iuside the corolla for insects, a,nd probably sucking the saccharine juices. Before the rains they lose the fine plumage, and become of a dull mixed colour. December is the breeding season ; nests have been observed among the grass, attached to its stalks, and in the bush. The young birds may be kept for some time on honey or sugar and water, which they lick up greedily from a straw or the corolla of a plant ; but the absence of insect food probably causes them to die." Mr. Boyd Alexander, during his travels up the Zambesi, remarks : " By no means abundant. We never met with any fully adult birds, obtaining our two immature males, having the metallic coloured throat of the adult, on November 12, at Zumbo, and then, later on, two females as we journeyed up the river." The late Dr. Bohm met with this species only to the east of Lake Tanjanyika at Kakoma, 32° 19' E. long., its furthest known western range, the species beiDg replaced to the west of that lake by the bird he called C. amethystina which no CHALCOMITRA FULIGINOSA. 109 doubt refers to G. deminuta Cab., a small race of the former species. Specimens have been collected by Emin at Tabora and Bagamoyo; by Sir John Kirk on Zanzibar island and in the Usambara country ; by Fischer at Mambrui, Arusha, Tshara and Mombasa ; by Hildebrandt at Ndi, Kitui and on Mombasa island. On Kilimanjaro both Sir Harry Johnston and Mr. Hunter collected many specimens between 3,000 and 7,000 feet. Mr. Jackson procured several on Manda island in May, and nests from Merereni and writes : " Common, especially among the mango trees at Tangani. The nest was found suspended on the extreme end of a small branch of a mangrove bush, along the edge of a creek in July 1866." He also obtained an adult male, in March, at Machako's (1° 28' S. kit., 37° 7' B. long.), and in the same latitude, at Witu on the coast, an adult male in May. Chalcomitra fuliginosa. Chalcomitra fuliginosa (Shaw), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 55 (1896). Cinnyris fuliginosus, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 275, pi. 86 (1878) ; Nichol- son, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 129 Abeokuta ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 95 (1884) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1885, p. 168 ; 1886, p. 251 ; 1888, p. 72 ; 1889, p. 118 Liberia; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1887, p. 125 Cama- roons; Beiehen. J. f. O. 1887, p. 306 Leopoldsville ; 1890, p. 126 Camaroons. Nectarinia fuliginosa, Bouvier, Cat. Ois. Marche, &c, p. 14 (1875) Gaboon ; Reichen. J. f. O. 1877, p. 25 Loango. Cinnyris scapulatus, Bochebrune, Bull. Soc. Phil. Paris, 1885, p. 89 Gaboon. Adult Male. Chocolate brown, palest on the head, neck and mantle ; front half of crown steel blue shaded with violet ; upper tail-coverts and throat metallic lilac ; pectoral-tufts pale yellow. Total length 5-4 inches, culmen 095, wing 2-7, tail 1-9, tarsus 0-63. Chinchonxo, 22. 4. 76 (Petit). Adult Female. Very much paler than the male and with no metallic colours, tail-feathers with narrow whitish ends ; throat dusky brown ; a 110 CHALCOMITRA FULIGINOSA. broad loral band, centre of breast and under tail-coverts buff. Total lengtb 4-8 inches, culmen 085, wing 25, tail 1-6, tarsus 0-65. The Carmelite Sunbird is confined to West Africa, where it ranges from Senegambia to the Congo. I have seen specimens from Senegambia, but it appears to be far more plentiful towards the Equator. In Liberia, according to Mr. Biittikofer, it is not common, although he procured specimens at Robertsport, Monrovia, Junk river and Schieffelinsville, and the type of G. aureus, Less., was a Liberian specimen in the Wiirtemburg collection. On the Gold Coast, according to Ussher, it is moderately common, possibly appearing only at certain seasons, for Mr. T. E. Buckley and myself never met with it there in February and March. In the British Museum there are specimens from the Volta river, Abeokuta and Lagos. I find no mention of the species from the Niger, but in Camaroons it is abundant, according to Dr. Reichenow, and Crossley and Sir Harry Johnston both collected specimens there. Gaboon is possibly the metropolis of this species, for here specimens have been collected by Du Chaillu near the Moonda and Camma river, by Marche in the Ogowe district, and by Mr. Skertchley at Kavimba. Along the Loango coast at Malimba, Perrein procured the type of the species, and, close by, specimens have been collected by Falkenstein and Petit at Chinchonxo and Landana, and by Captain Sperling at Kabenda. Ascending the Congo river, Bohndorff collected specimens at Leopoldsville, just below Stanley Pool, which is the most eastern known range for this species. G. fuliginosa has apparently only one actual moult in the year, when the male passes out of the dull female-like plumage and abruptly assumes the dark brown feathers and metallic CHALCOMITRA ANGOLENSIS. Ill colours, and later the rich colours simply fade and get worn away, causing specimens to show great variation in colour. One of these adult males in faded plumage, from Gaboon, is the type of Ginnyris scapulatus, Rochebrune. The name " Carmelite " for this bird was first used by Vieillot as its French name in 1802, and Latham twenty years later called it the " Carmelite Creeper," and in 1854 Reichen- bach made it the type of his genus Garmelita. Chalcomitra angolensis. Chalcomitra angolensis (Less.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 56 (1896). Cinnyris angolensis, Sharpe and Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1876, p. 304 Loango ; Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 279, pi. 87 (1879) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 98 (1884) ; Sharpe, Linn. Soc. Journ. Zool. xvii. p. 428 (1884) Semmio; Beichen. J. f. O. 1887, p. 306 Leopoldsville ; 1890, p. 126 Camaroons ; Shelley, Ibis, 1890, p. 162 Yambuya ; Beichen. J. f. O. 1892, pp. 55, 189 Camaroons ; id. Vog. Deutsch O. Afr. p. 210 Buhoba; Neum. J. f. O. 1898, p. 237 Bukoba. Nectarinia angolensis, Hartl. Abhandl. Brem. 1891, p. 28 Msukali, Uvambo-Lager. Adult Male. Dark brown with a slight bronzy gloss ; forehead, feathers in front of the eyes and chin black ; front half of the crown and the throat metallic green, edged on the occiput and breast with metallic violet. Total length 4-8 inches, culmen 0-75, wing 2-6, tail 1-7, tarsus 06. W. Africa (McLeannan). Adult Female. Above brown, with a partial buff eyebrow ; outer tail- feathers with narrow pale ends. Beneath buff, mottled on the throat and sides of the breast with the brown centres of the feathers. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-4, tail 1-6, tarsus 0-6. The Green -throated Brown Sunbird ranges from Camaroons and Fernando Po into Angola, eastward to the shores of Victoria Nyanza and into the Upper White Nile district. A specimen of this species obtained on Fernaudo Po during the Allen and Thomson expedition to that island is the type of 112 CHALCOMITRA ADELBERTI. Nectarinia st ranger i, Jard., named after the doctor who accom- panied the party. This Sunbird ranges throughout Camaroons, for specimens have been collected by Crossley in the moun- tains and the Victoria forest, by Dr. Preuss at Buea, and by Dr. Reichenow near the coast. In Gaboon it is apparently equally abundant, and according to Verreaux frequents the forests. Du Chaillu collected speci- mens at the Muni, Moon da and Camma rivers, and Marche in the Ogowe district. On the Loango coast Petit met with the species at Landana, and from Malimba, some ten miles further south, Perrein procured the type of the species and also the type of 0. rubescens, which latter was formerly in the Paris Museum, but has been lost, and it is now impossible, from the descrip- tion alone, to determine the species for which the name was intended. On the Congo river specimens have been collected by Bohudorff at Leopoldsville, and by Jameson at Yambuya. In Angola Monteiro procured this Sunbird at Bembe, the furthest southern range known for the species, and in the Paris Museum there is another specimen from Angola. In Central Africa specimens have been collected in the Nyam-nyam country, at Semmioby Bohndorff, and by Emin at Msukali, Uvambo-lager, Bukoba and Njonjo. Mr. Neumann likewise met with this species at Bukoba on June 8th. Chalcomitra adelberti. Chalcomitra adelberti (Gerv.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 57 (1896). Cinnyris adelberti, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 281, pi. 88 (1878) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 99 (1884) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1886, p. 251 ; 1889, p. 118 Liberia ; Reichen. J. f. O. 1897, p. 46 Togoland. Adult Male. Above brownish black ; crown and rnustachial-band metallic green ; chin and upper throat black ; lower throat buff margined CHALCOMITRA ADELBERTI. 113 by a black collar which shades off into the rich chestnut of the remainder of the body. Total length 4 inches, culmen 07, wing 2-3, tail 1-5, tarsus 0-55. Abouri, 23. 2. 72 (Shelley). Adult Female. Above, olive ; wings and tail dark bronzy brown ; beneath, buff shaded with olive on the lower throat and flanks, and partially striped with the indistinct olive brown centres of the feathers. Total length 4 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-25, tail 1-4, tarsus 0-55. Abouri, 23. 2. 72 (Shelley). The Senegal Buff-throated Sunbird is confined to the northern half of the West African Subregion, where it ranges from Senegambia to the Gold Coast. The type of the species was procured by Adelbert in Senegambia. Mr. Biittikofer collected three specimens in Liberia, near the Junk river. The species appear to be rare everywhere excepting in the forest region of the Gold Coast. Here Mr. Blissett found it at Elmina, and in the British Museum there is a specimen from " Ashantee." According to the late Governor Ussher : " This pi^etty Sunbird is not very common in Fantee, except at certain seasons of the year, when it frequents the large flowering-trees of the forest in company with many other species." I presume the " certain season" alluded to is the early springtime, for in February and March, while I was on the Gold Coast with Mr. T. B. Buckley, we found them plentiful in the wooded districts around the blossoms of the gigantic flowering forest trees at Abrobonko near Cape Coast Castle, and at Abouri in the Aguapim mountains, and they were at that season passing by a complete moult into the breeding dress, which none of the many specimens I saw had entirely assumed, there being always an odd feather or more of the winter plumage still to be shed. Drs. Reichenow and Luhder who visited Abouri in the autumn only met with a single specimen in that locality. In the neighbouring Togoland Dr. Biittner procured this species at Misahohe in March, September and October. [November, 1899. 8 114 CHALC0M1TRA CASTANEIVENTRIS. Chalcomitra castaneiventris. Cinnyris castaneiventris, Madarasz, Ornis. 1889, p. 149, pi. 3 Yoruba. Adult Male. Similar to C. adelberti, but darker and duller, with no bright chestnut on the back or breast. Total length 4-7 inches, euhnen 075, wing 2-4, tail 1-5, tarsus 0-55. Niger (Thomson, Brit. Mus.). The Niger Buff-throated Sunbircl inhabits the Niger district. The type of the species was obtained in the Yoruba country between Dahomey and the Niger, probably not one hundred miles from Ebo, where Thomson procured an adult male which is now in the British Museum. That the present form is en- titled to be regarded as a distinct species from its northern ally is proved by the Tring Museum having recently received a fine series from Warri, which agree in all details with Thomson's specimen from the Niger, and not with those from further north. Genus V. ELiEOCERTHIA. Form very similar to that of Cinnyris. Crown, hind neck, and mantle glossed with metallic colours which are confined to the extreme ends only of the feathers. Sexes often similar in plumage, in which case the bright pectoral-tufts which are always present in the males are likewise present in the females. Two out of the three species I refer to this genus have the tail square and are confined to the African continent south of the Equator ; the third, E. thomensis, has a graduated tail and inhabits the island of St. Thomas. KEY TO THE SPECIES. a. Head, neck, and mantle very dark brown glossed with bronze. Abdomen white. Pectoral-tufts orange fusca, $ . b. Upper parts olive, glossed with metallic green. No metallic gloss on the under parts, which are pale ashy. Pectoral-tufts scarlet. . . verreauxi, £ , £ . EL^OCERTHIA FUSCA. 115 c. Tail strongly graduated. General plumage black, with metallic steel blue gloss. Under tail-coverts pale greenish yellow .... thomensis, $ , $ . d. Upper surface and sides of head earthy brown with a whitish eyebrow ; under surface white shaded with ashy brown on the front and sides of the body. Culrnen 0'7, wing 2*1, tail 1-7, tarsus 0'65 fusca, $ . Eleeocerthia fusca. Eleeocerthia fusca (Vieill.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 58 (1896). Cinnyris fuscus, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 285, pi. 89 (1877) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 317, 832 (1884) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 75 (1884). Adult Male. Head, neck, breast, back and lesser wing-coverts brownish black with metallic violet, green, or coppery bronze edges to the feathers ; wing and tail blackish ; pectoral-tufts bright orange ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white. Total length 4'4 inches, culmen - 85, wing 2-3, tail l - 65, tarsus 07. Damara (Andersson). Adult Female. Upper surface and sides of head light brown, with a pale eyebrow ; wings and tail darker brown, the outer feathers of the latter edged with white. Beneath, ashy white. Total length 4 - 3 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2-1, tail 1-7, tarsus 065. The White-vented Black Simbird inhabits the western portion of South Africa, south of 20° S. lat. and west of 25° E. long. This species was discovered by Levaillant in Great Namaqualand, and Mr. Chapman calls it the common species of Sunbird in that country and Damaraland, remaining there throughout the year. Mr. Andersson found it especially abundant towards the sea coast and observes : " The scantier and more dreary the vegetation the more common is this bird, and though unattractive in dress, it helps to enliven the monotonous solitudes which it frequents by its activity and pleasant, subdued warbling chirp. The male assumes a some- what more attractive garb during the breeding season than 116 EL^EOCERTHIA VERREAUXI. at other times of the year, when it resembles the female, whose colouring is of the most sombre description." He always found the nest suspended from the branch of some low acacia tree, and composed of soft grasses and the fine inner bark of trees and lined with a quantity of feathers, and he saw some young birds, just fledged, on April 3. The British Museum possesses a specimen labelled " Elephant river, Little Namaqualand (Andersson)." The late Dr. Bradshaw found these Sunbirds very common at the Orange river, and Mr. Atmore procured specimens near Hopetown. Mr. Layard informs us that, " Mr. Ortlopp found the species incubating near Colesberg in the usual domed nest suspended from a tree ; it was composed of wool and fibres, lined with feathers and goats' hair. The eggs were of the abnormal number of three, white, spotted with intensely dark purplish brown and pale purple, chiefly forming a close-set ring near the obtuse end." Axis 055 inch by - 35. Prof. Barboza du Bocage enters this species in his " Orn. Angola " on the authority of Dr. Hartlaub that there is a specimen in the Paris Museum, labelled Angola, but remarks that the species has never been met with by Anchieta to the north of the Cunene river. From the series of specimens in the British Museum it would appear that the males assume their breeding plumage in November and discard it again in the following June for a plumage similar to that of the female. Elseocerthia verreauxi. Elajocerthia verreauxi (Smith), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 59 (1896). Cinnyris verreauxi, Shelley, Mon. Neet. p. 287, pi. 90 (1876) ; Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 247 Natal; Gadow, Cat. B.M. ix. p. 74 (1884) : Shelley, Ibis, 1888, p. 300 Manda Is. ; Evans, Nature, li. p. 235 ; id. Ibis, 1895, p. 301 Natal ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zulu. EL^OCERTHIA VERREATJXI. 117 Cinnyris fischeri, Reichen. J. f. O. 1880, p. 142 Mozambique ; Fisch. J. f. O. 1885, p. 139 Pangani ; Reichen. Vog. Deutsch 0. Afr. p. 210 (1894). Elteocerthia fischeri, B. Alexander, Ibis, 1899, p. 561 Zambesi. Adult Male. Above, olive shaded brown with broad metallic olive green edges to the feathers of the head, back, and lesser wing-coverts ; remainder of the wings and tail brown. Beneath, ashy white with scarlet axillary- tufts. Total length 5'2 inches, cnlmen 0-9, wing 2-45, tail 2, tarsus 0-7. Durban, 7. 4. 74 (Shelley). Adult Female. Like the male. Durban, 1. 4. 74 (Shelley). The Mouse-coloured Sunbird ranges over Eastern Africa south of the Equator. Sir Andrew Smith wrote : " Only a very few specimens of these birds have yet been found in South Africa, and none, as far as I know, within the limits of Cape Colony ; Kafirland and the country eastward of it, towards Port Natal, furnished the specimens we possess." This Sunbird appears to be more abundant near the coast than inland. Duriug my stay at Durban, in February and March, I had frequent opportunities of watching these birds, as, although rare, they were not shy and frequented the thick coverts which surround the town. In March a native informed me that he had just taken a nest of this species, which he called the Mouse-coloured Sunbird, by which name it appears to be best known to the colonists. The nest he told me was of the usual oval form and suspended from one of the outer twigs of a bush, and was similar in structure to that of Anthothreptes collaris which he brought me a few days later, that is, composed of dry grass and thickly lined with feathers and horse-hair. In its habit of frequenting the low thick bush it differed from C. olivacea, which I only met with in the large scattered trees of the more open country. I will here quote from the "Ibis," 1895, p. 301: "It appears that the fecundation of Loranthus kraussi is entirely due to the labours of two species of Sunbirds, Cinnyris olivaceus 118 EL.EOCERTHIA VERREAUXI. and G. verreauxi, which frequent these flowers in great numbers. ' A little quiet watching ' says Mr. Evans, ' will show the birds at these flowers, splitting open flower after flower, and getting head and bill covered with pollen in moving about, undoubtedly fertilising the capitate receptive stigmas of other and older flowers.' In order to ascertain whether the flowers of the Loranthus would be fertilised without the aid of the Sunbirds, Mr. Evans covered a small branch of them containing from eighty to one hundred blossoms with a net, and found that not one of the blossoms so covered set seed. After careful watching he came to the conclusion that the Loranthus is quite sterile without the external aid supplied by the birds. After the fruit is ripe another bird, a Barbet, Barbatula pusilla, further assists the propagation of the Loranthus by eating the covering of the berry and rejecting the seeds and the viscid matter round them. To clear away these the Barbet wipes its bill upon a branch, to which the seeds of the Loranthus adhere by the viscid matter and germinate." In Zululand the Messrs. "Woodward collected specimens at Santa Lucia Lake and Eschowe. I find no record of the occurrence of this species between Natal and the Zambesi river, but in the latter district Mr. Boyd Alexander has obtained a specimen and writes : " By no means common. Our only specimen was obtained on August 1, in a grove of tall trees at the little village of Umquasi on the left bank of the river and about sixty miles below Tete. The bird appeared extremely shy, flitting from one tall tree top to another and never once descending to the undergrowth of acacia bushes which were frequented by numbers of Ghalcomitra gutturalis." Possibly the shyness of this bird was due to Mr. Boyd Alexander having shot its mate unknown to him, for with ELjEOCERTHIA THOMENSTS. 119 regard to G. gutturalis he writes : " After we obtained the female, the male bird became very shy, only to appear now and again above the high trees in the vicinity." The type of Cinnyris fischeri was procured at Mozambique by the late Dr. Fischer, who also met with the species at Pangani. Mr. Jackson collected two males in May on Manda Island and one in Ukambani, which are the most northern localities known to me for this species, but it is said to be fairly plentiful in the acacia trees on Manda Island. Cinnyris fischeri, Reichen., if, as it should be, referred to the specimens found from the Zambesi northward, may possibly be recognised by the slightly whiter under surface, the more constant bluer upper surface and small bill, but I have only four examples to compare with a fairly good series of C. verreauxi, Smith, from Natal. The Natal birds show that the measurements vary considerably: culmen - 9 inch to 1:1, wing 2*35 to 2 - 45, and the shade of the metallic colours in Natal specimens from olive green to pale blue, so that the only character for separating G. fischeri, Reichen., from G. verreauxi, Smith, is the slightly paler shade of the under parts, and this appears to me such a poor character that I have here united the two forms as belonging to one species, believing that the intermediate links will be found to occur in the little- explored coast country between Zululand and the Zambesi. A specimen from the Zambesi and one from Manda Island have both: culmen # 9, wing 2*4 inches. Elseocertbia thomensis. (Pi. 5, fig. 2.) Elaeocerthia thomensis (Bocage), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 60 (1896). Nectarinia thornensis, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1889, p. 143 St. Thomas Is. Adult Male. Black, with broad metallic bronze blue edges to the feathers of the head, neck, back, lesser wing-coverts and breast ; tail much graduated, with broad white ends to some of the outer feathers ; quills with 120 CYANOMITRA. partial narrow olive yellow edges. Abdomen strongly tinted with olive yellow ; under tail-coverts olive shaded bui'f. Bill and legs black, iris brown. Total length 7'6 inches, culmen 1-55, wing 3-3, tail 3, tarsus 1"15. St. Thomas Is. (P. Newton.) Adult Female. Like the male. Total length 7 inches, culmen 1-3, wing 3-25, tail 3-2, tarsus 1-05. St. Thomas Is. (F. Newton.) The St. Thomas Island Sunbird is confined to the island of that name, which is situated almost on the Equator at a distance of some two hundred miles from the Gaboon coast. The species was discovered at St. Miguel, a forest district on the western slope of the island, by Mr. F. Newton, and described by Prof. Barboza du Bocage, to whose generosity the British Museum is indebted for a fine male and female, the only ones I have seen. I place the species in the genus Elseocerthia, of which E. ■verreauxi is the type, on account of the metallic colours being confined to the extreme ends of the feathers only. It further resembles E. verreauxi in the plumage of the sexes being alike, but differs in the graduated tail, the feathers of which have pale ends, and in this character it nearly approaches many of the members of the genus Cyanomitra. Genus VI. CYANOMITEA. Form very similar to that of Cinnyris. Mantle sometimes dull brown, else olive of a green or yellow shade. Metallic colours, when present, confined to the head and neck. Young birds are not always similar in colouring to the adult females, and apparently never have metallic colours nor bright pectoral-tufts. This purely Ethiopian genus consists of about ten known species. KEY TO THE SPECIES. a. No metallic colours. a 1 . Above earthy brown ; beneath white mottled with black ; pectoral-tufts yellow in adult males only (Socotra Is.) .... balfouri, $ 5 . CYAN0M1TRA. 121 b 1 . Above dark brown; beneath olive shaded ashy brown ; tail with some broadish white ends to the feathers ; culmen 0-9 inch, wing 2'4 (Seychelles) dussumieri, j . c 1 . Above olive. a 2 . Tail nearly square. a 3 . Above greener ; no white near the eye. a*. Throat mottled with dark centres to the feathers ; culmen 0-65, wing 1-9, tarsus 0-6 (Gt. Comoro Is.) . . . humbloti, 2 . b i . Throat uniform. a 5 . Darker ; pectoral-tufts chrome yellow ; beneath pale olive. . . olivacea, $ 2 . Z) 5 . Paler; pectoral-tufts sulphur yellow in adults of both sexes, but absent in young birds ; be- neath olive shaded ashy white. . obscura, J 2 . b 3 . Above browner ; region of eye and throat whitish ; breast whitish with dark centres to the feathers ; culmen 08, wing 2-55 cyanolcema, 2 . b 2 . Tail graduated ; outer feather falls short of tip of tail by not less than the length of the tarsus. c 3 . Breast buff: throat mottled with the black bases of the feathers ; culmen 0-55, wing 1-9 nawtoni, 2 . d a . Breast and under tail-coverts olive buff; culmen 07, wing 2-3 .... hartlaubi, 2. e 3 . Centre of breast and under tail-coverts yellow reiclienbachi, young. b. With metallic colours confined to the head and throat. d 1 . Tail nearly square. c 2 . Back yellower ; entire upper half of the head metallic green. f 3 . Throat green, like the entire head and neck varticalis, $ ad. cj 3 . Throat white, slightly paler than the breast verticalis, 2 ad. d 2 . Back browner ; cheeks and ear-coverts brown. h 3 . Larger; wing 2-7 ; pectoral-tufts very pale yellow cyanolcema, $ ad. i 3 . Smaller; wing less than 2-5 ; pectoral- tufts yellow and orange red mixed. 122 CYANOMITRA BALFOURI. c 4 . Chest ashy brown; throat deep metallic greenish blue; tail tipped with white (Seychelles) dussumieri, $ ad. d*. Chest maroon-red ; throat coppery bronze ; tail with no white tip (Gt. Comoro Is.) humbloti, $ ad. e 1 . Tail graduated and with pale ends to all but centre pair of feathers. e 2 . Cheeks and ear-coverts with no metallic colours. k 3 . Breast yellow newtoni, $ ad. I s . Breast olive hartlaubi, $ ad. f 2 . Cheeks and ear-coverts of metallic colours reichenbachi, $ ? ad. Cyanomitra balfouri. Cyanomitra balfouri (Sclat. and Hartl.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 61 (1896). Cinnyris balfouri, Sclat. and Hartl. P. Z. S. 1881, p. 169, pi. 15, fig. 2 Socotra Is. ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 76 (1884). Adult Male. Above, dark brown with pale edges to the feathers of the crown, back of neck and back ; upper tail-coverts, and tail uniform blackish brown, the feathers of the latter edged with white ; the end half of the outer feather and a large terminal patch on the inner web of the next feather nearly white ; wings dark brown with very narrow pale edges to the feathers. Beneath, white and black with yellow pectoral-tufts ; lores, cheeks and lower portion of ear-coverts white ; chin and upper half of throat uniform ashy black, remainder of throat and the crop dusky black scaled with broad white edges to the feathers ; feathers of chest with the basal black centres more lanceolate and less exposed ; flanks slightly washed with dusky ash ; thighs mottled with dark centres to the feathers ; under wing-coverts and partial inner margins to the quills white. Bill and legs entirely black ; iris dark brown. Total length 5-2 inches, culrnen 0-85, wing 2-6, tail 20, tarsus 0-8. Socotra, 5. 1. 99 (0. Grant). Adidt Female. Similar in plumage to the male, but without the yellow pectoral-tufts. Total length 4-7, culrnen 0-8, wing 2'35, tail 1-9, tarsus 0-8. Socotra, 3. 1. 99 (O. Grant). The Socotra Sunbird is confined to the island of Socotra, the extreme north-eastern limit of the Ethiopian Region. Prof. J. B. Balfour, who discovered this species, writes : CYANOMITRA OLIVACEA. 123 " Common in the interior of the island, on the hill-slopes and higher plains, where there are plenty of shrubs. The female is difficult to get. The male clings to the topmost branches, when he gives ont a very pretty note." Mr. W. R. Ogilvie Grant kindly informs me that during his visit to the island he met with these Sunbirds generally in pairs ; they were noisy and sprightly in their habits, and fairly abundant from the sea level up to 4,000 feet. He found a nest, from which the young birds had flown, on February 10. It was suspended from a small branch, so hidden by the thick bush and creepers that it was difficult to find. He also met with a family party consisting of the two adults and their three young, which, though well grown and able to fly, were still closely attended by their parents, who showed great concern for the safety of their offspring, at once hurrying them into the thick covert, and then the male appeared at intervals on an elevated position and uttered a shrill, rather harsh alarm note. The song of this species is loud, varied, and impressive, and is poured forth from the topmost twig of a bush in a flood of melodious notes. He is a capital mimic, imitating the calls of his neighbours with great accuracy, especially that of Cisticola incana. Cyanomitra olivacea. Cyanomitra olivacea (Smith), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 62 (1896) ; id. Ibis, 1896, p. 180 Nyasa. Cinnyris olivaceus, Shelley, Mon. Neet. p. 289, p. 91 (1876) ; Butler, Feilden and Eeid, Zool. 1882, p. 247; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 78 (1884) ; Fisch. J. f. O. 1885, p. 139 Lindi ; Matsch. J. f. O. 1887, p. 155 Liialaba B. ; Evans, Nature, li. p. 235 ; id. Ibis, 1895, p. 301 Natal; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zululand ; Neumann, J. f. O. 1898, p. 229 Zanzibar. Nectarinia olivacea, Bohm, J. f. 0. 1883, p. 192 Zanzibar ; Schal. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 243 Tanganyika. 124 CYANOMITRA OLIVACEA. Cinnyris olivacina (Peters), Gadow. Cat. B. M. ix. p. 78 (1884). Adult Male. Above, deep olive. Beneath, pale yellowish olive, with bright yellow pectoral-tufts. Total length 5'5 inches, culmen 1-1, wing 2'7, tail 2-5, tarsus 0-65. Pinetown, 19. 3. 74 (Shelley). Adult Female. Like the male. Durban, 9. 4. 74 (Shelley). The Dark Olive Sunbircl ranges over Eastern Africa from Natal to Zanzibar and westward to the Lualaba branch of the Congo river. Sir Andrew Smith procured the type of the species in the same country in which he discovered E. verreauxi, on his way to Port Natal. Iu February and March I found these birds much rarer at Durban than some twelve miles further inland, at Pinetown, where they were generally in pairs frequenting the taller trees along the banks of the water- courses in preference to the low tangled brushwood. Out of the many specimens I carefully sexed I can detect no differ- ence whatever in the plumage. From Natal Mr. T. Ayres writes : " These birds are common on the coast for some distance inland ; they are particularly fond of shady banana groves, taking the nectar from the long drooping flowers of the plant, and chasing one another about with great pertinacity. The plumage of the females is not so bright as that of the males." Captain Reid procured the species at Durban in August, and according to Captain Harford it breeds there in November. Mr. Layard describes the eggs as being " light brown, so profusely mottled with purplish brown as almost to conceal the ground-colour." Messrs. R. B. and J. D. S. Woodward collected several specimens at Eschowe and Santa Lucia Lake in Zululand. The type of Nectarinia olivacina, Peters, from Inhambane was a rather small specimen of C. olivacea. This ends all I know regarding the species in South Zambesia. To the north of the Zambesi, between that river and Lake Nyasa, Mr. Alexander Whyte collected two specimens on CYANOMITRA OBSCURA. 125 Mount Chiradzulu in the Shire highlands. Bohm met with the species in October at the Lualaba river, its most western known ran°'e, and informs us that it is not a rare bird to the west of Lake Tanjanyika. He also procured the species on Zanzibar Island in May. Fischer collected specimens at Lindi as well as at Zanzibar, which is the most northern known range for the Dark Olive Sunbird. Cyanomitra obscura. Oyanomitra obscura (Jard.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 63(1896). Cinnyris obscurus, Sharpe and Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1876, p. 304 Loango; Shelley, Hon. Nect. p. 291, pi. 92 (1879); Gadow, Cat. B. H. is. p. 77 (1884) ; Buttik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1886, p. 251 ; 1888, p. 72; 1889, p. 118 Liberia,- Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 38 Tingasi ; id. Ibis, 1890, p. 162 Yambuya ; Buttik. Notes, Leyd Mus. 1892, p. 22 Sulymah B. ; Sjostedt, Sv. Vet. Akad. Handl. 1895, p. 103 Camaroons; Beichen. J. f. 0. 1896, p. 38 Camaroons ; id. J. f. 0. 1897, p. 46 Togoland; Oberholser, Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1899, p. 17 Cameroons. Adelinus obscurus, Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) ii. Bull. p. 88 (1879) Gaboon. Elseocerthia ragazzii, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. 1888, p. 247 Shoa. Cyanomitra ragazzii, Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 64 (1896). Cinnyris ragazzii, Jackson, Ibis, 1898, p. 137 Witn ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1899, p. 636 Ntcbi. Adult Male. Above, olive ; sides of the head more ashy olive, with small white centres to the feathers of the cheeks, ear-coverts and eyebrows; feathers in front of the eye buff. Beneath, buffy white, shaded with olive on the sides of the body and under tail-coverts. Bill brownish black fading on the basal half of the lower mandible into buff or flesh colour. Total length 5-5 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 2-5, tail 2, tarsus 0-65. Prince's Is., 2. 1. 76 (Petit). Adult Female. Similar to the male but without the yellow pectoral- tufts. Bonny, 23. 10. 75 (Petit). The Pale Olive Sunbird ranges from the Sulymah river near Sierra Leone into Angola, occurs on Fernando Po and Prince's Island, and crosses the continent to Witu near the coast, in about 3° 40 S. lat., and Shoa. 126 CTANOMITRA. OBSCURA. In "West Africa the most northern known locality for this species is the Sulyinah river, where it was obtained by the late Mr. Demery, and according to Mr. Btittikofer who collected specimens at Schieffelinsville on the Junk river in Liberia, it is " very frequently found on the tulip-shaped flowers of the cotton-tree, from December to February." On the Gold Coast these birds are common, at least at some seasons, in the more wooded parts, as at Abrobonko and Denkera from whence Ussher collected numerous specimens, and there is one labelled " Ashantee " in the British Museum. I and Mr. T. E. Buckley only met with it in March at Abouri in the Aguapim mountains, always in company with other Sunbirds among the upper branches of the tall flowering forest trees, but they then appeared to be rare in comparison to the other species. In the German territory of Togoland specimens have been collected at Amedzoche in March and at Adame in July. There is a specimen from Bonny in the British Museum. In Camaroons Mr. Sjostedt mentions the species as not rare, and essentially a forest bird, and apparently breeding in August, and Mr. Zenker also collected specimens, adult birds in June and a young one in November. In the British Museum there are four specimens from Fernando Po and a similar number from Prince's Island, and six from Gaboon, in which latter country Du Ohaillu collected specimens at the Muni and Camma rivers, aud Marche at Lope in the Ogowe province. On the Loango coast Petit has obtained specimens at Landana, and the species extends south into Angola, where Verreaux and Hamilton both procured specimens. This Sunbird probably ranges over the Congo district generally, for Jameson's collection, from Yambuya on the Aruwhimi tributary, contained an adult male, and Emin met with it in October at Tingasi. CYANOMITRA VERTICALIS. 127 The species apparently crosses the continent, for I cannot detect any character for separating from it Elseocerthia ragazzi, Salvad. The one example from Shoa in the British Museum does not differ in any of its measurements from some of the West African specimens. It has, however, the throat and breast slightly greener than the general run of specimens, but, to my eyes, the colouring is exactly matched by one of Hamilton's birds from Angola. Therefore I think I am right in referring to G. obscura the male procured in May at Witu by Mr. Jackson and the Shoa specimens collected by Dr. Ragazzi in the forest of Fekerie-ghem which includes the type of E. ragazzi, Salvadori. With regard to the habits of G. obscura, Mr. Keulemans writes : " When in Prince's Island I met with this species only in the dense forests, where, owing possibly to the thick- ness of the undergrowth and creepers, it was rarely to be seen. The high trees in the more retired parts of the forests are its favourite haunts ; and it is seldom observed near the ground, excepting when the aroma of the ripening fruits attract it towards the plantations, where it may at such times be occasionally met with around the banana and papaya plants. Its song, which it constantly utters, is totally unlike that of G. hartlaubi, being a more guttural sound, like ' hoo- hoo-hoo ' rapidly repeated ; but its call-note is a soft ' foo-cet,' and can hardly be distinguished from that of G. hartlaubi. It is known in the island by the name of ' Siwie-barbeiro- grande.' " Cyanomitra verticalis. Cyanornitra verticalis (Lath.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 65 (1896). Cinnyris verticalis, Shaipe and Bouvier, Bull. S. Z. France, 1876, p. 304 Loango ; Shelley, Mou. Nect. p. 301, pi. 97 (1879) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 80 (1884) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1885, p. 168 ; 1886, p. 251 Liberia ; Beichen. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 306 Leopoldsville ; 128 CYANOMITRA VERTICALIS. Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 38 Ting as i ; Reiehen. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 190 ; 1894, p. 41 ; 1896, p. 38 Camaroons ; 1897, p. 46 Togoland. Cyanomitra cyanocephala, Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) ii. Bull, p 89 (1879) Ogoive. Neefcarinia verticalis, Hartl. Abhand. Brem. 1891, p. 28 Baguera. Nectarinia cyanocephala (Shaw), Hartl. Abhand. Brem. 1882, p. 206 Upper White Nile. Cinnyris cyanocephalus, Hartert, J. f. O. 1886, p. 581 Niger. Cinnyris bohndorffi, Reiehen. J. f. 0. 1887, pp. 214, 301, 306 Congo. Cinnyris viridisplendens, Reiehen. J. f. O. 1892, pp. 54, 132 Bukoba ; Hartert in Ansorge's " Under Afr. Sun " App. p. 350 Unyoro. Adult Male. Head and neck deep metallic bluish green ; back and lesser wing-coverts olive yellow ; wings and tail dark brown ; remainder of the under parts leaden grey w T ith pale yellow pectoral-tufts. Total length 5 - 2 inches, culmen 0'95, wing 2-6, tail 1-8, tarsus 0-65. Cape Coast, 2. 2. 72 (Shelley). Adult Female. Upper surface as well as the sides of the head similar to the male. Beneath, very pale ashy grey, almost white on the chin ; pectoral- tufts white. Total length 4-9 inches, culmen 09, wing 2-3, tail 1-8, tarsus 0-65. Abrobonko, 30. 1. 72 (Shelley). The Green-headed Olive Sunbird ranges from the Gambia river into Angola and through Equatorial Africa to Masailand. From the Gambia and Casamanse there are specimens of both sexes in the British Museum. Bulger met with the species on Bulama Island, one of the Bissagos group; Fergusson and Marche at Sierra Leone; and in Liberia Mr. Biittikofer collected specimens at Robertsport, Monrovia and Sckieflelins- ville on the Junk river. From the Gold Coast there are more than thirty skins of this species in the British Museum, including specimens from Blmina, Ashantee, Fantee and the Volta river. They show- conclusive evidence that G. bohndorffi and G. viridisplendens are only varieties of G. verticalis. While at Cape Coast Castle with Mr. T. E. Buckley we found the species common at Abrobonko around the large scarlet flowers of the Bombax trees in company with many other Sunbirds, and at other times perched upon the fronds of CYANOMITRA VERTICALIS. 129 the cocoanufc palms in the vicinity of Cape Coast. It is a woodland species, which may account for our not meeting with it at Accra, but it is curious that we did not see these Sunbirds during our short excursion into the forest of the Aguapim mountains. In the neighbouring German territory of Togoland Mr. Baumann collected two specimens in May at Podji, and in the Niger district the species has been met with by Strange and Mr. Hartert. Dr. Reichenow procured a good series of carefully sexed specimens from Camaroons, and was the first to prove conclu- sively that Gerthia cyanocephala, Shaw, is nothing but the male of G. verticalis, Lath. In Gaboon Du Chaillu collected specimens on Cape Lopez and near the Muni, Moonda and Camma rivers, and Marche at Lope in the Ogowe district. From the Loango coast Perrein procured the type of Gerthia cyanocephala, Shaw, and in the same country Falkenstein collected specimens near Chinchonxo and Petit at Landana. In the British Museum there are nine specimens from Gaboon, two from Laudana and one of Monteiro's, an adult male, from Bembe in Angola, which is the extreme southern limit for the known range of the species, and Prof. Barboza du Bocage remarks that G. verticalis has never been procured from south of the Quanza river. Following the range of the species eastward we find Dr. Reichenow records it as occurring in Bohndorff's collection from Leopoldsville, and makes another of his specimens, an adult male from the same locality, the type of his Ginnyris bohndorffi, and refers another from Manyango, some miles nearer to the coast, to the same form. To the north-east of the Congo district Emin has collected specimens at Tingasi, Tomaja, Foda, Baguera, Langomere, and Bukoba on the [November, 1899. 9 130 CYANOMITRA CYANOL.EMA. western shore of Victoria Nyanza ; from the latter locality came the types of Cinnyris viridisplendens, Beichenow. To the east of Victoria Nyanza Mr. Ansorge found the species at Masindi in Unyoro during May and June, and Mr. Jackson collected a fine series, which agree perfectly with those from the Gold Coast, at Mandi in May, June and July, up to an elevation of 6,500 feet, and at Ntebi in March and September, so apparently the species is nowhere migratory. In this species both sexes, when in full adult breeding plumage, have metallic colours on the head. In both sexes, immature birds appear to be very similar in plumage, and have no metallic colours. The full dress first begins to appear in the form of metallic feathers on the upper part of the head and neck, then the breast becomes mottled with clear ashy ; next metallic plumes appear on the throat of the male and ashy white ones on that of the female. The last portion of the immature plumage to be discarded is the yellow on the collar and down the centre of the breast. Cyanomitra cyanolsema. Cyanornitra cyanolaema (Jard.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 66 (1896). Cinnyris cyanolsema, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 297, pi. 95 (1877) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 78 (1884) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1886, p. 251 ; 1888, p. 72; 1889, p. 118; 1892, p. 22 Liberia; Reichen. J. f. 0. 1887, pp. 301, 306 Congo ; Sjostedt, Sv. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1895, p. 102 Camaroons ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1899, p. 635 Buganda ; Oberholser, Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus., 1899, p. 34 Liberia. Nectarinia cyanolasma, Bouvier, Cat. Ois. Marche, &c. p. 13 (1875) Sierra Leone; Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 176 (1877) Angola. Adelinus cyanolsema, Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) ii. p. 132 (1879) Gaboon. Adult Male. Upper surface, including the sides of the head, brown ; crown and throat deep metallic green shaded with violet ; remainder of the under parts paler brown than the back and with pale yellow pectoral-tufts. Total length 57 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 2-7, tail 2'5, tarsus 0-7. Fantee (Aubin). CYANOMITRA CYANOL.EMA. 131 Adult Female. Above, brown, the feathers broadly edged with olive yellow ; outer tail-feathers with pale ends ; sides of head brown with a white band above and below the eye. Beneath, white, the throat shaded with pale brown, the chest faintly mottled with brown; abdomen, sides of the body and under tail-coverts washed with olive yellow. Total length 5-5 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 2-55, tail 2'2, tarsus 0'7. Pantee (Aubin). The Blue-throated Brown Sunbird ranges from Sierra Leone into Angola, the Island of Fernando Po and the Uganda Protectorate to as far east as Buganda. Specimens have been collected at Sierra Leone by Marche, along the banks of the Sulymah river by Demery, and at Schieffelinsville in Liberia by Mr. Buttikofer, who remarks that the first two specimens " differ somewhat from each other, one having chin and throat with a greenish, the other with an intense violet gloss." This variation in the shade of colouring of the metallic gloss is by no means confined to this species, and may be probably accounted for by the age and amount of exposure of the metallic coloured feathers since the last moult. On the Gold Coast, according to the late Governor Ussher, it is rare, though occasionally found in the vicinity of Cape Coast, and there is one of his specimens from Abrobonko in the British Museum, and the pair I described were collected for him by Aubin, probably in the forest of Denkera. Neither I nor Mr. T. E. Buckley met with the species, nor do I find any mention of it from Togoland or the Niger. The type of the species was discovered by Fraser on Fernando Po, and the only record I find of it in Camaroons is that Mr. Sjostedt shot a male in January out of a flock, which he believed to be mostly young birds. In Gaboon these Sunbirds appear to be more plentiful, for Du Chaillu collected specimens at the Moonda and Camma rivers and Marche in the Ogowe district. Along the Lower Congo, Bohndorff procured specimens 132 CYANOMITRA DUSSUMIERI. at Manyango and Leopoldsville. In Angola, at Bembe, Mr. Monteiro obtained an adult male, and further inland Hamilton found the species in the Kasongo country, but it is not known to range further south. The full range of this species is very doubtful, for in one of Mr. Jackson's recent collections there is a female labelled " Buganda, 26. 11. 94," which is the first record of the species occurring in East Africa. Cyanomitra dussumieri. Cyanomitra dussumieri (Hartl.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 67 (1896). Cinnyris dussumieri, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 293, pi. 93 (1877) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix., p. 79 (1884) ; Ridgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1895, p. 514 Seychelles. Adult Male. Above, dark browu, the feathers edged with olive ; tail tipped with white, broadest towards the outer feathers. Beneath, olive shaded ashy brown, with the entire throat deep metallic bottle green, and orange red and yellow pectoral-tufts. Total length 4'6 inches, culmen 09, wing 2'4, tail 1-8, tarsus 0-7. Seychelles (F. Newton). Adult Female. Only differs from the male in the throat being of the same colour as the breast, and in having no bright pectoral-tufts. Male in moult. Like the female, or with the throat metallic, but with no pectoral-tufts. The Seychelles Blue-throated Sunbird is confined to the Seychelles Archipelago in the Indian Ocean about 800 miles from the African coast. Mr. F. Newton writes : " The ' Colibri ' (Nectarinia dus- sumieri) I found to be very common ; I saw it at Mahe, Praslin, Ladigue, Felicite, Marianne, and Silhouette. When I first arrived, the males I shot did not show any yellow under the wing ; but at Marianne on February 12th, I obtained two males which had the bright flame-coloured axillary-tufts fully developed. At first I thought these were of a different species; CYANOMITRA HUMBLOTI. 133 but on my return to Praslin and Make, and shooting several specimens, I found that all the males had then assumed their full plumage, which they evidently had not done when I shot my first specimen on January 25th." He further adds : " The male constantly sings from the top of a tree or from a dead and exposed branch. The song is hurried, but not unlike that of a Goldfinch. The ordinary call is one note quickly repeated three or four times. Mr. Nevill had two nests brought to him, one containing a young one almost fully fledged, the other an egg ; the nests were exactly like others of the family which have been described ("Ibis" 1865, p. 76). The egg is greenish-white, freckled, suffused and blotched with umber-brown chiefly at the larger end. It is 075 inch in length, and 0'41 in breadth." This species has been found by Professor Percival Wright on Aride and Fregates islands, and Dr. Abbott collected seven specimens in the same Archipelago at La Digue, Felicite, He Cousin and Mahe. Cyanomitra humbloti. Cyanomitra huinbloti (Milne Edw. and Oust.), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 68 (1896). Cinnyris humbloti, Milne Edw. and Oust. C. E. ci. p. 220 (1885) ; iid. Ann. Sc. Nat. Zool. 1887, p. 220 ; iid. N. Arch. Mus. (2) x. p. 245, pi. 4 (1888). Gt. Comoro Is. Adult Male. Above, olive yellow, with the forehead and crown metallic coppery lilac ; wing dark brown with olive-yellow edges to the feathers ; tail blue-black with distinctly paler dusky grey ends to the feathers ; head in front of the eyes, cheeks, chin and throat metallic coppery lilac ; ear- coverts and back of head and neck slightly more ashy olive than the back ; under surface of body olive yellow passing into a rich narrow red collar ; pectoral-tufts yellow ; under wing-coverts white partially washed with yellow ; quills dusky blackish with partial white inner edges. Bill and legs black ; iris dark brown. Total length 4 inches, culmen 0-75, wing 2-1, tail 1-5, tarsus - 65. Great Comoro Is. (Humblot). 134 CYANOMITRA NEWTONI. Adult Female. Differs from the full-plumaged male in having the sides and upper half of head ashy olive ; chin, throat and under tail-coverts yellowish white, mottled with the dusky centres to the feathers ; under surface of body pale yellow, shaded on the flanks with olive and partially striped on the sides of the chest by the dusky bases to the feathers. Total length 3-9 inches, culmen 07, wing 1-95, tail 1-3, tarsus 0-65. $ Great Comoro Is. (Humblot). Humblot's Sunbird is confined to the island of Great Comoro. Monsieur Humblot during his expedition to Great Comoro Island discovered this and several other species of birds hitherto unknown to science. The Mascarene Archipelago, and the island of Socotra to the north, muster ten local forms of Sunbirds, none of which ever range on to the African continent, and are all referred by me to the two genera Cinnyris and Gyanomitra, and consist of the following species : — Cinnyris notatus, Madagascar ; replaced by G. nesophilus in Great Comoro. G. comorensis, Johanna Island. C. coquereli, Mayotte Island. C. souimanga, Madagascar and Gloriosa Island ; represented by C. aldabranus on Aldabra Island and by C. abbotti on the Island of Assumption. The genus Gyanomitra is represented by : — G. humbloti, in Great Comoro. C. dussumieri, in the Seychelles Archipelago. C. balfouri, in Socotra Island. Cyanomitra newtoni. (Pi. 5, fig. 1.) Cyanomitra newtoni (Bocage), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 69 (1896). Cinnyris newtoni, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1887, p. 250; 1888, pp. 154, 157, 211 St. Thomas Is, CYANOMITRA HARTLAUBI. 135 Adult Male. Above, dusky olive, wings dark brown, tail black, strongly graduated, with white ends to all but the centre pair of feathers. Entire throat deep metallic bluish green ; chest bright sulphur yellow, fading into yellowish white on the remainder of the body. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 2-15, tail 1*7, tarsus 0-7. St. Thomas Is. (P. Newton). Adult Female. Similar to the male, but differs in having the throat dusky black with the edges of the feathers yellowish buff, in the chest being buff like the abdomen, and in the base of the lower mandible being pale. Total length 3*5 inches, culmen 055, wing 19, tail 1-4, tarsus 0-65. St. Thomas Is. (F. Newton). The Saint Thomas Yellow-breasted Sunbird is confined to the Island of St. Thomas, which is situated almost on the Equator at about 150 miles from the West African coast. Mr. F. Newton who discovered the species informs us that it is known to the natives as " Xele-Xele," so we may infer that it is fairly abundant on the island. I only know the species from the two specimens in the British Museum labelled male and female, so have described them as such, but in the latter specimen the basal portion of the lower mandible is pale as if from immaturity, and the dusky colouring of the throat suggests the possibility of its being a young male. This is one of the three species which are probably confined to the islands off the coast of West Africa, comprising, besides the present species, Elmoeerthia thomensis, from the same island, and Cyanomitra hartlaubi from Prince's Island. Cyanomitra hartlaubi. Cyanomitra hartlaubi (Verr.), Shelley, B. Air. I. No. 70 (1896). Cinnyris hartlaubi, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 295, pi. 94 (1879) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 79 (1884). Adult Male. Upper surface and sides of the head olive with a few feathers on the sides of the forehead tipped with metallic blue ; tail with pale ends to the feathers broadest on the outer ones. Beneath olive yellow 136 CYANOMITRA HARTLAUBI. fading almost into white on the sides of the body ; entire throat deep metallic violet shaded blue. Total length 56 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 25, tail 23, tarsus 85. Prince's Is. (Ingall). Adult Female. Similar to the male, only with no metallic colours, the throat being olive yellow like the breast. Total length 4-7 inches, culmen 0-7, wing 2 3, tail 2, tarsus 0-8. The Prince's Island Sunbird is confined to the island of that name. The only trustworthy information respecting this Sunbird is given by Mr. Keulemans and Dr. Dohrn. The former gentleman found it tolerably abundant throughout Prince's Island with the exception of the dense woods, where it is replaced by G. dbscura. He found it very plentiful near plan- tations, usually in small groups of from four to six individuals, in which the males were by far the most numerous. " They have no special breeding season," he writes, " for I have found young birds in every month of the year ; but I find in my journal, under the date of August 30th, that during that month I procured nineteen males but not a single female ; so I suppose at that season all the hens were breeding. I collected three nests, all of which were very similar. They are of an oval form, and are suspended from one or more twigs at an elevation of from four to twelve feet from the ground and generally well concealed amongst the foliage. They were con- structed of the hairy appendages that are found on the bark of palm trees, rather loosely woven together and lined with the soft filaments of flowers, cotton, and other fine materials, with the opening on the side most exposed to the light. I never found any of the eggs, but one was brought me by a native boy supposed to belong to this species ; it was a nearly perfect oval, pure white, and with a very thin shell. " It appears to me that there is only one in each brood, for I never saw the parents feed more than a single young bird. It takes a long time before the young bird becomes independent ; CYANOMITRA KEICHENBACHI. 137 for I have seen the old birds feeding their offspring after it has been perfectly able to fly, and when it was already begin- ning to assume its adult male plumage. "The song of the male resembles that of our Hedge- sparrow, added to which are some notes similar to those of the Wren ; it is, in fact, somewhat between the two songs, a little fuller and in a lower key, while the call-note is like that of the Bed-start. By imitating this note they can be brought very close, and can be easily captured, as they ai'e naturally very tame. " They feed chiefly upon insects, but will also eat small berries and fruit, and are very partial to sipping the juice emitted by the banana-flower before the fruit has set. " I kept many alive, and fed them upon Papaya, Banana, and bread soaked in sugar and water, with occasionally ants' eggs. Two males which I tried to bring to Europe died from cold after having lived in confinement more than three months. The natives call them c Siwie-bai'beiro ' or ' Siwie baca-longe,' and the Portuguese ' Besha-flore ' (flower-kissers)." The type of the species was in Verreaux's collection and supposed by him to have come from Angola, but I believe Dohrn to be more correct when he observes : " I doubt if this species has been found in Angola, mistakes in localities in these parts being very common ; for cruisers and merchant vessels usually touch at several places of the coast and adjacent islands, and if special care be not taken, collections from different places are easily mixed up together." For the above reason I have discarded from the range of the present species Angola for Verreaux's type, and Gaboon for one of Gujon's specimens. Cyanomitra reichenbachi. Cyanomitra reichenbachi (Hartl.) Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 71 (1896). Cinnyris reichenbachi, Sharpe and Bouvier, Bull S. Z. France, 1876, 138 CYANOMITRA REICHENBACHI. p. 304 Loango ; Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 299, pi. 96 (1877) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 81 (1884) ; Reichen. J. f. 0. 1887, pp. 301, 306 Congo; 1890, p. 126 Camaroons ; Sjostedt, Sv. Vet. Ak. Hand, p. 102 Camaroons. Nectarinia reicheubachi, Reichen. J. f. 0. 1875, p. 31 Camaroons. ? Cinnyris oritis, Reichen. J. f. O. 1892, pp. 190, 225 Camaroons. Adult Male. Above, olive-yellow ; head and entire throat metallic violet, shaded with indigo bronze ; tail graduated, with pale ends to the feathers. Breast pale ash colour with bright yellow pectoral-tufts ; abdomen and under tail-coverts yellow. Total length 4-7 inches, culmen 065, wing 2-35, tail 2-15, tarsus 0-7. Adult Female. Similar in plumage to the male. Total length 4-6 inches, culmen 065, wing 2-2, tail 1*5, tarsus 07. Gaboon, 5. 1. 76 (Marche). Young Male. Similar to the adult but with no metallic colours ; head and neck deep olive brown inclining almost to black on the chin ; remainder of the under parts bright yellow, washed with olive on the side of the breast. Landana (Petit). Reichenbach's Sunbird ranges over West Africa from the Volta river to the Congo. At the river Volta, which waters the eastern portion of the British Possession of the Gold Coast, two nearly full pluinaged specimens, probably a pair, were collected by my friend the late Governor TJssher, who writes : " They frequented low shrubs near the river bank, and, I should fancy, were tolerably plentiful. The habits of most of these Sunbirds appear to be identical ; and their flight and method of feeding offered nothing noteworthy to the collector." In Camaroons, according to Dr. Reichenow, the species is abundant, and he found from his own observations that the female assumed metallic colours similar to that of the male, and that in young birds the crown was olive like the back, and the throat greenish yellow. Mr. Sjostedt procured a specimen in August at Bibundi. From Gaboon Verreaux obtained the type of the species. Marche met with this Sunbird at Lope in the Ogowe district, and Du Chaillu at the Camma river. Further south Petit ANTHOTHREPTES 139 collected many specimens at Landana on the Loango coast, and Bohndorff up the Congo, at Manyango and Leopoldsville. Owing to Mr. Cassin's remark, that "the young male is like the female, but with the throat, abdomen and under tail- coverts yellow, the former with a few lustrous metallic green feathers," I expected to find that the female would be an olive-shaded bird with no metallic colours, so, in my Mono- graph of this family, I described as the female one of G. cupreus in Petit's collection from Landana. I have since seen one of Petit's specimens in a similar plumage to that of the male labelled " female," thus confirming the correctness of Dr. Reichenow's observation, that the plumages of the sexes in adult birds are alike. With regard to Ginnyris oritis, Reichenow, I believe this species is only known by the type specimen, procured by Dr. Preuss in the highlands of Camaroons on June 16, 1891, and described as very similar to G. reichenbachi, but differing in having the entire abdomen yellowish olive, a slight tinge of violet on the throat, and the occiput greenish. The bill is recorded as more than an inch in length, but I presume "r. 27—28" is a misprint for r. 17—18. Otherwise the description of the type of G. oritis suggests to me a young specimen of G. reichenbachi which has nearly assumed the full breeding plumage. For that reason I intentionally omitted the name from my list of African species, and see no reason for altering that opinion now. Whether I am right or wrong in so doing can only be decided by further information on the subject. Genus VII. ANTHOTHEEPTES. Form very similar to that of Cinnyris, but with the bill comparatively shorter and straighter with no downward curve to the keel of the lower mandible. Culmen often not quite so long as the tarsus ; tail square ; style of plumage very variable. 140 ANTHOTHREPTES. Females often with metallic colours ; less often they are like their males in plumage, and the nestlings of A. collaris and A. hypodila, unlike any other species of Sunbird known to me, have a metallic green colouring like the adult females. All the members of this genus, once they have assumed the full plumage, apparently never discard their bright colours. The range of the genus extends over Southern and Tropical Africa, and through Southern Asia to the Philippines, Borneo and Celebes. In Africa it is represented by eleven known species, all of which are confined to the Ethiopian region. KEY TO THE SPECIES. a. Mostly olive ; bright scarlet pectoral-tufts in adult males. ft 1 . Head and neck olive like remainder of jfraseri, $ % . plumage I idia (Liberia). b 1 . Upper half of head and neck ashy grey fading into white on the throat .... axillaris, $ ? . b. Upper tail-coverts metallic violet ; chest white. c 1 . Upper parts and upper throat metallic violet. f ft 2 . Least series of wing-coverts mostly metallic violet ; no patch of green on lower back ; no pale edges to any of the tail-feathers longnemarii, 3 . b 2 . Least series of wing-coverts mostly metallic green ; a distinct patch of metallic green feathers on the lower back ; several of the outer tail-feathers with partial whitish edges oricntalis, 3 ■ d 1 . Crown and mantle brown ; throat and eyebrows white. c 2 . No pale edges to the tail-feathers ; abdomen and under tail-coverts pale yellow ; rump more lilac longnemarii, ? . d 2 . Partial pale edges to several of the outer tail-feathers ; abdomen and under tail- coverts white like the chest ; rump bluer orientalis, ? . c. Upper parts metallic green shaded with blue. c 1 . Throat metallic bluish green ; breast buff with orange pectoral-tufts aurantia, $ ad. ANTHOTHREPTES FRASERI. 141 f 1 . Throat, cheeks and eyebrows white ; remainder of under surface of body pale yellow aurantia, 2 . d. Upper parts golden green. g 1 . Under parts yellow, with the throat golden green only in adult males. c". With metallic edges to most of the quills, collar is. f 2 . With olive edges to the quills .... hypodila. — h 1 . Chest ashy with a double collar of golden green and orange g-. Chin and upper throat yellow .... rectirostris. h". Chin and upper throat ashy grey . . . tephrolama. e. Upper parts brown. Sexes alike in plumage. i 1 . Forehead and throat metallic blue ; breast yellow with the centre and the under tail- coverts scarlet anchietce. k 1 . Above ashy olive ; eyebrow and under parts whitish gabonica. Anthothreptes fraseri. Anthothreptes fraseri (Jard. and Selby), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 113 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 73 (1896). Anthreptes fraseri, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 307, pi. 99 (1879) ; Oberholser, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1899, p. 16 Camaroons. Adult Male. Olive, paler beneath, wings and tail more golden olive ; eyelids sulphur yellow ; pectoral tufts orange red. Bill brown fading into olive yellow towards the base of the lower mandible ; legs olive green ; iris hazel. Total length 5-3 inches, eulmen 0-65, wing 2-8, tail 2-4, tarsus 0-65. Adult Female. Similar to the male, but with no bright pectoral-tufts. Fraser's Scarlet-tufted Olive Sunbird inhabits Camaroons, Fernando Po and Gaboon. Mr. GL L. Bates has recently met with the species in Camaroons. The type was procured on Fernando Po by Fraser, according to whose notes " two other specimens only were seen, but could not be obtained. They had a straight dart-like flight, appeared of a long slender form, and ran actively up the small branches in search of insects. Bill 142 ANTHOTHREPTES IDIA. olive-yellow at the base of the lower mandible, legs olive- green, irides hazel." In Gaboon, Du Cliaillu collected specimens on Cape Lope and the banks of the Camma and Ogowe rivers, and Mr. Cassin writes : " The female is smaller than the male, but very similar in colours. The young male is like the female, but with the colours duller, and of a darker green in all the plumage, no axillary tufts." This Sunbird is extremely rare in collections and the next two species are, I believe, known only by the type specimens. Anthothreptes idia. Anthreptes idius, Oberholser, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xxii. p. 33 (1899) Liberia. Type. — " Upper parts dark olive green, rather duller on the head ; wings fuscous, the lesser coverts, edgings of the others and of the quills, like the back ; tail-feathers greenish olive, with broad olive green exterior margins. Sides of head and neck olive green ; eye ring olive yellow ; entire under surface deep olive yellow, almost uniform, but rather paler on chin, and shaded with olive green on sides and flanks ; lining of wing olive yellow. Bill dark horn, paler beneath ; feet olive green." Total length 488 inches, wing 216, tail 1-52, tarsus 0-56. The Liberian Olive Sunbird inhabits Liberia. Mr. R. P. Currie, who discovered the type, states that " this species was not uncommon in the bush about Mount Coffee, and that its Golah name is ' Zemeh.' " Besides the above description of the species Mr. Harry C. Oberholser further writes : " Similar to Anthreptes fraseri, but decidedly smaller ; the outermost primary scarcely more than half as long ; rather darker, and much less yellowish green throughout. This most noticeable on wings and tail. " In details of structure and in pattern of coloration this ANTHOTHREPTES AXILLARIS. 14.1 new species is identical with Anthreptes fraseri, and does not need comparison with any of the other species of the genus. There is a possibility that idius may eventually turn out to be merely a geographical race of fraseri, but until such shall be proved to be the case it may stand as a species. The single specimen procured by Mr. Currie is sexed male, and if this be correct the absence of pectoral-tufts, notwithstanding the lack of any other evidence, would seem to indicate immaturity ; for it is quite probable, though of course not certain, that the adult male would, like that of fraseri, possess these orna- ments." With the following exceptions : " tail-feathers greenish olive ; eye ring olive yellow ; feet olive green," the description of A. idia agrees well in colouring and measure- ments with the females and young males of Cinnyris cupreus. Anthothreptes axillaris. Camaroptera axillaris, Reichen. Orn. Monatsb. 1893, p. 32 Uvamba; id. J. f. 0. 1894, p. 102, pi. 1, fig. 3; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 964 (1896). Very similar to A. fraseri but differs in having the upper half of the head grey shading into white on the chin and throat. Axillary tufts vermilion, but present only in adult males. Total length 5 inches, culmen - 65, wing 2-7, tail 1-8, tarsus 0-6. The Grey-crowned Scarlet-tufted Olive Sunbird inhabits Central Africa. I believe this species to be known only by the type, which was in the Emin and Stuhlmann's collection, from Uvamba, and that the description and figure of the type is all that has as yet appeared in print, but this was sufficient to raise my suspicions that it was an Anthothreptes with the cutting edges of the bill finely serrated, and not a Gamaroptera, so I wrote to Dr. Reichenow who has kindly informed me that its nearest ally is A. fraseri. 144 ANTHOTHREPTES LONGUEMARII. Anthothreptes longuemarii. Anthothreptes longuemarii (Less.), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 115 (1884) ; Matsch. J. f. O. 1887, p. 155 Lufuku B. ; Reichen. J. f. 0. 1892, p. 236 Togoland; Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 17; 1894, p. 14; 1899, p. 282 Nyasaland; id. B. Afr. I. No. 74 (1896); Reichen. J. f. 0. 1897, p. 45 Togoland. Anthreptes longuemarii, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 335, pi. 108 (1879); Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) ii. Bull. p. 152 (1879) Loss Is. ; Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 545 (1881) Caconda ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 39 Bongerch. Anthothreptes orientalis (nee Hartl.) Sharpe, Linn. Soc. Journ. Zool. xvii. p. 429 (1884) Nyam-nijam. Adult Male. Above, metallic violet ; wings dark brown, with the least series of wing-coverts metallic violet, passing into green on the outermost feathers only ; tail-feathers blackish with no trace of pale ends but washed and edged with metallic violet ; sides of head and sides of neck dark brown ; upper half of throat metallic violet ; remainder of the under surface white with pale yellow pectoral-tufts. Bill dark brown ; iris brown ; legs black. Total length 4-9 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 2-9, tail 2-1, tarsus 07. Casa- manse (Brit. Mus.). Adult Female. Upper parts, as well as the sides of head, ashy brown with a broad white eyebrow ; upper tail-coverts metallic violet ; wings and tail dark brown, the latter with the feathers washed and edged with metallic violet. Beneath white, shaded with sulphur yellow on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. Total length 4-7 inches, culmen 0-6, wing 2-6, tail 2-1, tarsus 07. Casamanse (Brit. Mus.) Immature Male. Similar to the adult female in having the white throat and eyebrow, but the crown, mantle and least series of wing-coverts are partially metallic violet, and the abdomen and under tail-coverts bright sulphur yellow. Sassa (Bohndorff). The Western Violet-backed Sunbird ranges from Sene- gambia into Benguela, Nyasaland and the Nyam-nyam district. The type of the species came from Senegal and that of Anthreptes leucosoma, Swainson, from the Gambia, and speci- mens have been collected by Marche at Ponte, by Beaudouin at Casamanse, and M. Oustalet records it from the Loss Islands. Mr. Blittikofer did not procure the species in Liberia, nor ANTHOTHREPTES ORIENTALIS. 145 has it been recorded from our British possessions of the Gold Coast, yet in Togoland, our German neighbours, have collected specimens there in .April, May and July. From the Niger district it has not been procured since Allen and Thomson's time, when the species was obtained at Abor, and from Camaroons, Gaboon and Congo it has not yet been recorded at all. In Benguela, however, Anchieta has found the species as far south as Caconda, where it is probably not rare, for Prof. Barboza du Bocage gave me a fine full plumaged male out of his duplicates from that locality, which specimen is now in the British Museum, along with five full plumaged males and two females of this species collected by Mr. Alexander Whyte and Lieut.-Col. Manning at Zomba in the Shire highlands in January, February, June, July and September, so it is evidently a resident there and not a rare straggler. The range of this species eastward probably extends as far as the watersheds of the Congo and Zambesi rivers, so not having seen the specimens, I should refer those collected by Bohm only at the Lufuku river to the west of Tanjanyika to this species, and those procm*ed by him, Fischer and Emin east of that line to A. orientalis, as the latter certainly replaces A. longuemarii at Altoni near Zanzibar and in the Nile water- shed. Close to the latter district Emin obtained in July an immature male of A. longuemarii at Bongereh in Monbuttu, and Bohndorff an adult and young male at Sassa in the Nyam-nyam country in November, which specimens are now in the British Museum. Anthothreptes orientalis. (Pi. 4, fig. 2.) Anthothreptes orientalis, Hartl., Fisch. Zeitschr. 1884, p. 339; id. J. f. O. 1885, p. 138 Osegua, Maunti, Pare, Arusha, Wapoko?nola?id, [December, 1899, 10 146 ANTHOTHREPTES ORIENTALIS. Barawa; Reichen. J. f. O. 1887, p. 75 Loeru, Ossure ; 1889, p. 285 Usegua; 1891, p. 161 Mpapwa, Ugogo ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 475 Somali; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 75 (1896); Elliot, Field Columb. Mus. I. No. 2, p. 41 (1897) ; Lort Phillips, Ibis, 1898, p. 404 ; Hawker, Ibis, 1899, p. 67 Somali; Jackson, t. c. p. 636 Njemps. Anthreptes orientalis, Hartl. J. f. O. 1880, p. 213 Lado ; id. Abhand. Brem. 1881, p. 109 ; 1882, p. 205 ; Pelz. Verh. Wien. xxxi. p. 609 (1881) ; xxxii. p. 501 (1882) ; Emin, J. f. O. 1891, p. 60 Upper White Nile. Anthothreptes longuemarii (nee Less.) Cab. J. f. O. 1878, p. 227 Teita ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 594 Teita, Suk ; Reichen. Vog. Deutsch. O. Afr. p. 209 (1894). Anthreptes longuemarii, Schal. J. f. O. 1883, p. 360 Ugogo; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1889, p. 366 Useri B. Cinnyris longuemarii, Fisch. and Reichen. J. f. 0. 1879, p. 347 Massa. Nectarinia longuemarii, Antin. Cat. p. 34 (1864) ; Bohm J. f. O. 1883, p. 194 Eakoma; Schal. J. f. O. 1886, p. 417 Ugalla, Gonda; 1887, p. 242. Adult Male. Similar to A. longuemarii, but differs in having a broad band across the lower back and the whole of the least series of wing-coverts metallic green ; tail more glossed with blue, and with partial white margins to some of the outer feathers. Total length 4 - 9 inches, culmen 055, wing 2-55, tail 21, tarsus 07. Laga in Somaliland, 29. 11. 94 (F. Gillett). Adult Female. Like that of A. longuemarii, but the metallic shade of the upper tail-coverts and tail is more blue than lilac ; the whitish edges to the tail-feathers distinct, and the abdomen and under tail-coverts white like the chest. Total length 4-6 inches, culmen 0-55, wing 2-4, tail 1-75, tarsus 0-7. Lado, 18. 4. 79 (Emin). Other adult males show that the green on the lower back is somewhat variable in amount, and a few have a slight trace of violet on the innermost least series of wing-coverts ; the partial whitish edges to several of the outer tail-feathers is constant, regardless of sex or age, and is entirely absent in A. longuemarii. The Eastern Violet-backed Sunbird probably ranges over German East Africa generally, northward into Somaliland and the Upper White Nile district. The most southern locality from whence I have seen this species is Altoni, south-west of Zanzibar, where Emin pro- cured an adult male which is now in the British Museum. To ANTHOTHREPTES AURANTIA. 147 this form should belong the specimens collected by Bohm at Kakoma, Ugalla, Gonda, and Ugogo, and those of Fischer's consignments from Usegua, Ussure, Maurui, Pare, Arusha, Masailand, "Wapokomoland and Barawa in Somali. In this latter country these Sunbirds are apparently common, for Mr. Elliot met with the species at Le Gud and Hullier, Mr. Lort Phillips at the Rugga Pass in March, Mr. Hawker at Laferu in November, when be saw several but did not notice them elsewhere. Mr. Donaldson Smith also obtained several specimens during September in Somaliland. Mr. Hunter procured the species near the Useri river which flows eastward from the Kilimanjaro mountain. Dr. Hildebrandt met with these birds in the Teita country, where specimens have likewise been collected by Mr. Jackson in December and in January, at Ngoboto in the Suk country, about 100 miles to the north-east of Victoria Nyanza. In the Upper White Nile district Emin discovered the type of the species at Lado, and collected additional specimens at Wadelai, Mabero and Wakala. Von Heuglin met with these Sunbirds during his journey through the Wau district, frequenting the underwood and forests in the neighbourhood of water. Antinori, likewise, found them near the Gazal river in the Djur and Dor provinces. Anthothreptes aurantia. Anthothreptes aurantia, Verr., Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix., p. 116 (1884); Biehen. J. f. 0. 1887, pp. 301 Congo; 1890, p. 127 Camaroons ; Sjostedt, Sv. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1895, p. 104 Camarooons ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 76 (1896). Anthreptes aurantia, Oust. Bull. Soc. Philom. (7) I. p. 106 (1877) ; id. Nouv. Arch. Mus. (2) II. Bull. p. 94 (1879) Gaboon; Shelley, Mon. Nect., p. 337, pi. 109 (1879) ; id. Ibis, 1890, p. 163 Yambuya. 148 ANTHOTHREPTES AURANTIA. Adult Male. Upper surface as well as the sides of the head and the least series of wing-coverts metallic green glossed with steel-blue, mostly so on the neck, sides of the head, throat and upper tail-coverts ; wings and tail dark brown, the latter washed with metallic violet, and the feathers edged with metallic bluish green ; remainder of the under parts buffy white with reddish orange pectoral-tufts. Total length 4-6 inches, culmen O'S, wing 2-65, tail 2-1, tarsus 0-7. Gaboon (Brit. Mus.). Adult Female. Above, similar to the adult male, but with the forehead more golden and less blue shade on the back of the neck. Ear-coverts like the crown, from which they are separated by a broad white eyebrow extend- ing forward to the nostril ; cheeks and throat white ; the remainder of the under surface of the body pale yellow. Total length 5 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 2-4, tail 1-8, tarsus 07. Gaboon (Brit. Mus.). Immature. Above, brown, mottled on the hind neck, mantle and upper tail-coverts with metallic golden green ; tail blackish glossed with greenish blue ; a broad eyebrow and the cheek buffy white ; feathers in front of the eye and the ear-coverts brown ; chin and throat white ; remainder of the under surface whitish yellow. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 0'65, wing 2-4, tail 1-6, tarsus 065. Gaboon (Brit. Mus.). The Violet-tailed Sunbird is apparently confined to the forest region of the Camaroons, Gaboon and Congo districts. In Camaroons, Crossley met with the species at the Victoria Forest in January, and Mr. Sjostedt found a nest toward the end of March with two eggs. It was at the edge of a canal through a mangrove marsh, and was suspended from a twig about five feet above the surface of the water. The type of the species came from Gaboon, where Du Chaillu also collected specimens at the Camma and Ogowe rivers, in which latter district Marche found it at Sile Lake and Lambarene in December, and procured a young bird in May at Lope. In the Congo district Bohndorff obtained specimens at Manyango and Leopoldsville, and the late Mr. Jameson found it at Yambuya on the Aruwhimi. By following an error I made in 1S79, an immature specimen of A. fraseri from Fernando Po has been by accident entered (in Cat. B. M. ix. p. 116) as belonging to this species, which is not a native of Fernando Po. ANTHOTHREPTES COLLARIS. 149 Anthothreptes collaris. Anthothreptes collaris (Vieill.), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 116 (1884, pt. A., S. Afr.) Gamtoos E., Buffalo B., Grahamstown, Uiten- hage, KingwilUamstown, Natal; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 77 (1896). Anthodiaeta collaris, Shelley, Mori. Nect. p. 339, pi. 110 (1876) ; Sharpe ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 320 (1876) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 56 Transvaal ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 507 Ztduland. Anthreptes collaris, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. slviii. (1880); Butler, Feilden and Eeid, Zool. 1882, p. 247 Natal. Adult Male. Head, neck, back and lesser wing-coverts metallic golden green ; wings and tail dark brown, most of the feathers edged with metallic golden green. Beneath yellow, that colour separated from the green throat by a narrow collar of metallic violet. Total length 3'8 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 2-1, tail 1-5, tarsus 065. Durban, 11. 4. 74 (Shelley). Adult Female. Similar to the male, only with the entire throat yellow like the breast. Total length 36 inches, culmen 0'5, wing 1-9, tail T5, tarsus 0-6. Durban (Gordge). Nestling. Similar to the adult female, with the same parts metallic green. Durban, 28. 3. 74 (Shelley). The Southern Collared- Simbird inhabits South Zambesia to as far west as the G-amtoos river in about 24" B. long. ; but in Tropical South Africa is known to me only by a specimen in the British Museum labelled " Zambesi (Meller)." With regard to the species in Cape Colony Mr. Layard writes : " Entirely a bird of the Eastern districts, not approaching nearer than the province of TJitenhage, whence we have received specimens. Le Vaillant states that he procured it near the Gamtoos river, and although M. Atmore, who knows this locality thoroughly, informs us that he has never come across it, it is possible that the above-named river forms the western boundary of its range. The reported abundance of the species, of which Le Vaillant speaks, may well be doubted after Mr. Atmore's evidence. Mrs. Barber forwarded specimens to us from the 'New Year's River,' and 150 ANTHOTHREPTES COLLARTS. Dr. Edwin Atkerstone from the mouth of the Kleinemont river (eight miles distant from the Kowie), where he shot three individuals ; it has also been found near Grahamstown, and Mr. Rickard records it from Port Elizabeth." Captain Trevelyan procured the species at Kingwilliamstown. In Natal, according to Mr. T. Ayres, " these birds are decidedly scarce, though found throughout Natal." I found them fairly abundant in March near Durban, and Captain Reid obtained specimens in the bush near the mouth of the Urngfeni river in December. In Zululand the Messrs. Wood- ward collected three specimens at Eschowe. All I can find regarding the occurrence of this species in the Transvaal is that Mr. T. Ayres procured an adult female in July and writes : " I met with a few of these tiny Sun- birds in the dense bush along the Mashupan, where they find flowering creepers to their taste." The occurrence of this species further north yet requires confirmation. With regard to the habits of the species : during my short stay at Durban I frequently met with these birds in pairs or small parties among the low thick bushes, busily searching for insects between the twigs and leaves, and not, like most other Sunbirds, only frequenting the flowering plants for food. In their movements they reminded me of our Willow-warblers, as they climbed and hopped among the boughs ; but as they flitted round the mimosa bushes or tangled creepers they dispelled this illusion by displaying, to the greatest advantage, their brilliant metallic colours. Mr. T. Ayres remarks : " They build a penduline nest, generally in some thick bush, hanging it from the leaves and outermost twigs. They are very fond of building in orange-trees and others of equally dense foliage." At Durban, March 28th, a portion of a nest of this Sunbird was brought to me ; it was composed of fine grass, thickly lined with feathers and horsehair, and con- ANTHOTHREPTES HYPODILA. 151 tained two young birds, one of which is now in the British Museum. The colours of the nestling are the same as those of the adult female, which shows that the metallic edges to the quills in this species are always present, and proves conclusively that it is specifically distinct from its nearest ally, A. hypodila, which no doubt has otherwise a perfectly similar nestling, for in the very large series of A. hypodila in the British Museum, although there is not a single nestling, all the specimens have the entire back metallic green. In this latter character they are readily distinguished from their near allies A. rectirostris and A. tephvolsema, in which, apparently, the nestlings have the upper parts entirely olive. Anthothreptes hypodila. Anthothreptes hypodila (Jard.), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 117 (1884) ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1889, p. 366 Taveta; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1890, p. 126; 1892, p. 191 Camaroons ; id. Vog. Deutsch 0. Afr. p. 210 (1894) Ugalla, Bukoba ; Shelley, Ibis, 1894, p. 14 Nyasa ; Eeichen. J. f. O. 1894, p. 41 ; 1896, p. 38 Camaroons; Sjostedt, Sv. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1895, p. 103 Camaroons ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 78 (1896) ; Jackson, Ibis, 1898, p. 137 Witu ; Neumann, J. f. O. 1898, p. 237 Bukoba ; Hartert in Ansorge's Under Afr. Sun, p. 252 Manburu, Masongoleni, Taru; Boyd Alexander, Ibis, 1899, p. 561 Zambesi; Jackson ; t.c.p. 636 Nandi. Anthreptes hypodila, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. xlviii. (1880) ; id. Ibis, 1883 p. 548 Niger ; Buttik. Notes, Leyd. Mus. 1885, p. 170 ; 1886, p 251 ; 1892, p. 22 Liberia ; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1888, p. 39 Lado Tingasi; id. Ibis, 1888, p. 300 Manda Is.; 1890, p. 162 Yambuya. Anthodiaeta hypodila, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 345, pi. Ill (1876) Oust. N. Arch. Mus. (2) II. p. 85 (1879) Gaboon. Nectarinia hypodila, Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 176 (1877) Loanda Eeichen. J. f. O. 1877, p. 25 Loango. Anthreptes collaris hypodilus, Oberholser, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1899, p. 33 Liberia. Anthothreptes subcollaris (Eeichb.) Eeichen. J. f. O. 1887, pp. 301, 306 Congo. Anthodiaeta zambesiana, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 343, pi. Ill, fig. 3 (1876) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1881, p. 125 Mombasa; Fisch. Zeitschr. 1884, 152 ANTHOTHREPTES HYPODILA. p. 339 Arusha; id. J. f. 0. 1885, p. 138 Zanzibar, Pangani, Maurui, Lamu, Wapokomoland ; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1889, p. 285 Zanzibar. Anthreptes zambesiana, Shelley, Mou. Nect. p. xlviii. (1880) ; id. P. Z. S. 1881, p. 571 Dar-es- Salaam, Pangani; Schal. J. f. O. 1883, p. 360 Ugogo. Anthothreptes zambesiana, Eeichen. J. f. O. 1891, p. 161 Uniamivesi. Nectarinia zambesiana, Hartl. Abhand. Breui. 1891, p. 29 Bagamoyo. Nectarinia collaris (nee V.) Fisch. J. f. 0. 1877, p. 178 ; id. k Eeichen. 1878, p. 260 Zanzibar; Fisch. J. f. 0. 1879, p. 300 ; 1880, pp. 188, 191 ; Bohm, J. f. O. 1883, p. 192 ; 1885, pp. 46, 67 ; Schal. J. f. 0. 1886, p. 417 ; 1887, p. 242 E. Afr. Anthodiseta collaris, Cat. in Decken's Eeis. III. p. 28 (1869) ; Matsch. J. f. O. 1887, p. 143 Karema; p. 155 Lufuku, Lualaba, Likulwe. Adults. Similar to A. collaris but differing in the greater series of wing- coverts and the quills being edged with olive yellow instead of metallic greenish gold. The Tropical Collared-Sunbird ranges from the Gambia to Loanda in Angola in West Africa, and from the Zambesi through Central and East Africa to Lado on the White Nile and the Equator on the coast. The Bremen Museum contains specimens from the Gambia, the British Museum one from Casamanse. Lieut. Bulger found the species inhabiting Bulama Island, one of the Bessagos group. Specimens have been collected by Demery along the Sulyrnah river which runs into the ocean at Sierra Leone, and Biittikofer found the species abundant in Liberia. From the Gold Coast there are two dozen specimens in the British Museum, including one labelled Ashantee and another Volta river, but I do not find the species recorded from Togo- land, and from Lagos it is known to me by a single specimen in the Stuttgart Museum. Forbes collected specimens in the forest region of the lower Niger at Onitsa. The type of the species was procured by Fraser on Fernando Po. In Camaroons these Sunbirds have been met with by Mr. Crossley, Dr. Reichenow, Dr. Preuss and Mr. Sjostedt, and are well represented in that woodland district. ANTHOTHREPTES HYPODILA. 153 In Gaboon, Dn Chaillu met with them at the Camma river, and Marche near the Ogowe. It ranges over the whole area of the Congo Free State, having been found on the Loango Coast at Landana by Falkenstein and Petit, at the mouth of the Congo by Captain Sperling, at Manyango by Bohndorff, and by Jameson at Yambuya on the Aruwhimi branch. Erain has procured specimens at Tingasi, Foda, Lado in 5° N. lat. — its most northern range known in this direction — and at Bukoba on Victoria Nyanza. Southward specimens have been collected on the Lualaba tributory of the Congo by Bohm, and in Angola by Toulson at Loanda, the extreme southern known range for the species in West Africa. In the Zambesi district these Sunbirds range further south, for Mr. Boyd Alexander obtained, in the densely wooded country near Chiramba on the right bank of the Zambesi, an adult male, apparently breeding there, on July 30th. To the north of this grand river Sir John Kirk collected specimens, including the type of Anthodiceta zambesiana, Shelley, at Shupanga, and writes : — " Found near Shupanga and Lena, but not very common. Its nest has been seen suspended to grass-stalks." Mr. Alexander Whyte obtained the species at Zomba in July, and in the British Museum there is a specimen from the Rovuma river. The late Dr. Bohm records these birds as being abundant from Zanzibar to the Lualaba river. On his way inland from the coast he collected specimens at Seke in Ugogo, at Gronda near Taboro, and to the west of Lake Tanjanyika in the Kasongo country at Likulwe, also at the Lufuku and Lualaba rivers. He took a nest with two young ones on March 11th, near Tanjanyika lake. Years ago, when I kept a collection, Sir John Kirk sent me specimens of this species from Mamboyo, Dar-es- Salaam, 154 ANTHOTHREPTES HYPODILA. Zanzibar Island and the Pangani river. The late Dr. Fischer informs us that the Zanzibari name for this bird is " Chosi- mhogo," and his collections contained specimens from Maurui, Arusha, Mombasa Island, Lamu and Wapokomoland, which is on the left bank of the Tana river and the most northern known range for the species in this direction. Dr. Hildebrandt remarks that in the Teita country these birds are to be found abundantly everywhere, frequenting the acacia blossoms. Mr. Jackson met with the species near the coast on Manda Island and at Tangani, Mr. Hunter at Taveta, and Mr. Ansorge at Manburu, Masongoleni and Taru desert in British East Africa. With regard to their habits, while I was on the Gold Coast in company with my friend, Mr. T. E. Buckley, during February and March we had frequent opportunities of watching these Sunbirds as they threaded in and out through the tangled creepers, which hung down from the lofty forest trees, in their steady search for the small insects which form their principal food, and they rarely appeared to resort to the high trees for the bright red blossoms which were, at that season, such an attraction to hosts of various other species of Sunbirds. This modification of their habits agrees well with the shortness of their bills, which are more adapted for catching insects than for probing into the chalices of the flowers. We first saw them flitting across the rippling brook which runs through the dense forest at Abrobonko, to perch on some more sunny bough, accompanied by their mates in almost every movement, and exhibiting none of that quarrelsome disposi- tion which is rather characteristic of most species of Sunbirds, but often disturbing a bright butterfly, apparently of their own size, from the blossoms in which they wished to search for the smaller insects and honey. While we were at Abouri in the Aguapim mountains the ANTHOTHREPTES RECTIROSTRIS. 155 natives used to bring us cages full of these charming little birds, showing how abundant and confiding they must be. Although so plentiful in the wooded districts, some thirty miles from the coast we did not find them among the bushes which are scattered over the wide plains of Accra. Anthothreptes rectirostris. Anthothreptes rectirostris (Shaw), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix., p. 119 (1884, nee $ ) Gambia, Ashantee, Wasa, Fantee, Volta B. ; Shelley, B. Afr. No. 79 (1896). Authodiseta rectirostris, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 331, pi. 107, figs. 2, 3, (1876). Anthreptes rectirostris, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. xlv. (1880) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1886, p. 251; 1888, p. 73; 1889, p. 118 Liberia; Oberholser, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1899, p. 32 Liberia. Adult Male. Upper parts metallic golden green, also the least and median wing-coverts ; lower back, upper tail-coverts and edges of quills and tail-feathers olive yellow ; remainder of wings and tail dark brown ; sides of head and neck and a broad collar covering the lower throat green like the mantle ; a black patch in front of eye ; chin and upper throat yellow ; an orange belt separates the green of the lower throat from the ashy breast which is shaded with yellow on the abdomen and under tail- coverts ; pectoral-tufts sulphur yellow ; under surface of wings brown, with the coverts and inner margins of quills white. "Iris brown, bill and feet black" (Biittikofer). Total length 4 inches, culmen - 5, wing 2-2, tail 1-4, tarsus - 6. Adult Female. Probably similar to adult male in plumage. Immature. Above olive mottled with a few metallic green feathers ; beneath pale yellow slightly tinted with olive ; a partial yellow eyebrow and a few yellow feathers beneath the eye ; bill brown and pale towards the base of lower mandible. The Yellow-chin Collared- Sunbird ranges from the Gambia to the Volta river. The most northern locality I can assign to this Sunbird is the Gambia, from whence Dr. R. B. Sharpe received a specimen which is now in the British Museum. In Liberia 156 ANTHOTHREPTES TEPHROLJEMA. it appears to be fairly abundant, for Mr. Biittikofer collected specimens at Schieffelinsville on the Junk river, and at Hill Town. From the Gold Coast there are, in the British Museum, nine full plumaged birds, none of which have been sexed by the collectors, so probably they represent adults of both sexes, although perfectly similar in plumage ; they were procured in the Takwa district, in Ashantee, from whence came the type of Nectarinia phseothorax, Hartl., in Fantee, where the type of Nectarinia fantensis, Sharpe, was obtained, and from the Volta river. I met with the species on one occasion in the Aguapim mountains while returning to Abouri from a neighbouring village where the monkeys were held " fetish" or sacred. In a flowering creeper which overhung the path, and caught the rays of the sun as it gleamed through the thick forest, I saw a tiny bird actively searching beneath the leaves ; and from its habits, had I not shot the specimen, I should have mistaken it for A. hypodila. 1 find no mention of the occurrence of this species further along the coast, and from the Niger district southward it is replaced by A. tephrolcema. Anthothreptes tephrolaema. Anthothreptes tephrolaema (Jard. and Fraser), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 120 (1884, nee ?) Gaboon, Angola; Keichen. J. f. O. 1887, p. 306 Leopold sville ; id. 1892, p. 191; 1896, p. 39 Camaroons ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 80(1896). Anthodiaeta tephrolaema, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 333, pi. 72, fig 2 (1876). Anthreptes tephrokema, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. xlvi. (1888) ; id. P. Z. S. 1888, p. 39 Tingasi; id. Ibis, 1890, p. 163 Yambuya. Adults. Very similar to A. rectirostris, but readily distinguished by having the chin and upper throat ashy grey instead of yellow. Total length 33 inches, culmeu 05, wing 2-2, tail 1'3, tarsus - 6. ANTHOTHREPTES ANCHIETJE. 157 Immature. Above, olive with no trace of metallic colours ; sides of head olive like the back with scarcely any trace of yellow ; beneath, nearly uniform yellowish buff ; bill dark brown with a large basal portion of the under mandible pale. Fernando Po (Fraser). This latter specimen is very like the adult female of Cinnyris chloropygius, from which it chiefly differs in its slightly stouter, shorter and straighter bill, its stouter tarsi and feet, and in the smaller and more pointed bastard primary. The Grey-chin Collared-Sunbircl ranges from the Niger district and Fernando Po into Angola, and eastward to Tingasi, about 3° N. lat., 27° 40' E. long. Fraser met with the species during his journey from Dahomey to Old Calabar, and procured the type at Fernando Po. In Camaroons Mr. Zenker obtained a specimen in December and Dr. Preuss one at Buea in September. About a thousand miles to the east Erain found this Sunbird at Tingasi. It appears to be more abundant further south, for it has been recorded in Du Chaillu's collections from the Moonda, Camma and Ogowe rivers, and in Marche's from the Lambarene iu the Ogowe province. Along the course of the Congo it has been met with by Bohndoff at Leopoldsville and by Jameson at Yambuya. In the British Museum there is one of Monteiro's specimens from Angola, which is the most southern known locality for the species. Anthothreptes anchietse. Anthothreptes anchietse (Bocage), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix., p. 115 (1884) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 832 (1881) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 81 (1896) ; id. Ibis, 1899, p. 365 Tanganyika plateau. Anthreptes anchietse, Shelley, Mon. Nect., p. 329, pi. 106 (1879) ; Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 545 (1881) Caconda. Adult Male. Upper surface dusky brown as well as the sides of the head ; front of the crown and the throat metallic steel blue with a greenish 158 ANTHOTHREPTES GABONICA. shade ; breast sulphur yellow with a broad baud down the chest and the under tail-coverts scarlet. Total length 4-6 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 2-4, tail 1-6, tarsus 0-7. Caconda, 7. 77 (Anchieta). Adult Female. Exactly like the male. Anchieta's Red and Yellow-breasted Sunbird ranges from Benguela to Lake Nyasa. This striking species has been named by Prof. Barboza du Bocage after the energetic naturalist, the late Mr. Anchieta, who discovered this Sunbird at Caconda, where, he informs us, it is common and known to the natives as " Xinjonjo," a name I also find on a label of Ginnyris oustaleti. This is one of the few species of Sunbirds in which the sexes are identical in plumage, and in this instance both are adorned with metallic colours. The most eastern known range for the species is Fort Hill, situated on the Songwe river which flows into the northern end of Lake Nyasa. Here a full plumaged specimen was shot by the hunters who accompanied the Commission for the Delimitation of the Anglo-German Boundary between the Nyasa and Tanjanyika lakes, and brought to England by Lieut.-Col. W. H. Manning. In recording this specimen in the " Ibis," I mentioned the supposed occurrence of the species in Mashonaland by Mr. Guy Marshall. That gentleman has kindly forwarded to me two of these specimens, which I find are young males of Ghalcomitra gutturalis, with the lower throat red and a fair amount of yellowish buff on the breast and no metallic colours. Anthothreptes gabonica. Anthothreptes gabonica (Hartl.), Reichen. J. f. 0. 1894, p. 42 Camaroons ; Sjostedt, Sv. Vet. Ak. Handl. 1895, p. 104 Camaroons; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 82 (1896). ANTHOTHREPTES GABONICA. 159 Anthreptes gabonica, Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1889, p. 118 Liberia ; Kuschel, J. f. 0. 1895, p. 347 (egg). Nectarinia gabonica, Hartl. J. f. O. 1861, pp. 13, 109 Gaboon ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1872, p. 70 Fantee, Volta B. Stipbrornis alboterminata, Eeichen. J. f. O. 1874, p. 103 ; 1875, p. 43 Camaroons ; 1877, p. 30 Loango ; Sharpe, J. f. O. 1882, p. 345 ; id. Cat. B. M. vii. p. 174 (1883); Reicben. J. f. O. 1890, p. 127 Camaroons; 1891, p. 68. Anthreptes rectirostris (nee Shaw), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. xlv. pi. 107 upper fig. 1 (1880, pt. ? ) ; Biittik. Notes, Leyd. Mus. 1888, p. 212 Liberia. Anthreptes tephrolaema (nee Jard. and Fras.) Shelley, t. c. p. xlvi. (1880 pt. ? ) ; Biittik. Notes, Leyd. Mus. 1888, p. 211 Congo. Cinnyris venustus (nee Shaw) Biittik. Notes, Leyd. Mus. 1885, p. 170 (pt. 2 , nest and eggs.) Adult. Upper surface, as well as a broad band through the eye, ear- coverts and sides of neck ashy brown, with a slight olive shade on the wings and tail ; remainder of the plumage, the ends of the tail-feathers, under wing-coverts and inner margins of quills white, with a faint ashy shade on the lower throat and sides of body. " Bill black, iris brownish red, feet sooty brown " (Buttikofer). Total length 4-1 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 2-3, tail 1-5, tarsus 0'6. Fantee (Dssher). The Little Brown and White Sunbird ranges from the Gambia to the Congo. The most northern known locality for this species is Bathnrst on the Gambia, where Marche procured a specimen which is now in the British Museum. In Liberia Mr. Biittikofer met with the species along the banks of the Marfa river and near Monrovia, and found a nest with two eggs, December 20. On the Gold Coast Ussher collected specimens in Fantee, at Accra and by the Volta river. From Camaroons the species has been recorded, under the title of Stiphromis alboterminata, as abundant along the bushy banks of the streams which flow through the coast country. Dr. Preuss obtained a specimen in May in the Victoria dis- trict, and Mr. Sjostedt found the species breeding in January 160 ANTHOTHREPTES GABONICA. and February. From Fernando Po there is one of Fraser's specimens in the British Museum. The type of the species, which was in Verreaux's collection, came from Gaboon. Here the species has since been met with by Marche at the Ogowe river. On the Loango coast specimens have been collected by Falkenstein at Chinchonxo and by Lucan and Petit at Landana. From Banana at the mouth of the Congo Mr. Buttikofer received from Mr. van der Kellen a nest, one egg, and a bird in spirits, dated September 28. By dissecting this specimen he proved from the form of the tongue that the Stiphrornis alboterminata, Reichen., is an Anthothreptes. The nest and egg were, he informs us, exactly similar to those he found in Liberia, and by mistake referred to Cinnyris venustus, of which he wrote : " The nests of this species are found along rivers, fixed to the end of overhanging boughs. They are not different in size and structure from those of G. chloropygia, but have a grey appearance. The eggs, generally two in number, are ashy grey, slightly washed with violet, and irregularly varied with dark lines and spots." They measured 0-64 by 0-8. " Collected 20th of December." Mr. Sjostedt found these birds frequenting the mangrove swamps in Camaroons, and the nests he met with were suspended by twigs close to the surface of the water. One of these nests contained a single young bird, which was similar in plumage to its parents but with the abdomen yellow, the base of the bill paler, feet black, and iris brown, not deep red or reddish brown as in adult birds. When I published my Monograph of the Nectariniidse I was struck with the similarity of the style of plumage of this bird and the females of A. longuemarii, and knowing of no specimen of this form sexed as male, I referred those from the north to A. rectirostris and the others from the south to A. tephrol&ma, thinking it probable that the females of the two species would be very similar in plumage. PROMEROPIDiE. 161 Since then Dr. Reiclienow has compared specimens of this form collected by Mr. Btittikofer in Liberia, and found them to agree specifically with his Stvpkrornis alboterminata from Camaroons, of which he records the males and females as alike in plumage. From Mr. Biittikofer's examination of the tongue there can be no doubt that it is a Sunbird, and must stand as Anthothreptes gabonica (Hartl.). I believe that the specimens described in Cat. B. M. ix. as females of A. rectirostris and A. tephrolasma do not belong to the genus Anthothreptes, but are females of Ginmjris venustus or G. chloropygms, as evidently the " Bill of Anthothreptes rectirostris," figured page 120, is taken from a specimen of one of the latter two species. Family II. PROMEROPIDiE. Somewhat similar in form and habits to the Nectariniince ; but, nostrils placed in a more elongated groove, bill not serrated, frontal feathers lanceolate, tail extremely long and graduated, of somewhat broad, soft, and lax feathers, no metallic colours, and construct a cup-shaped nest. This family is represented by only two very closely allied species, both confined in their range to South Africa, south of the Tropics. As the structure of the tongue and internal anatomy is unknown to me, I hesitate to refer the genus Promcrops to either the Nectariniida or the Meliphagida, so place it in a family by itself. KEY TO THE SPECIES. a. Forehead, crown and front of chest not chestnut . . cafer. b. Forehead, crown and front of chest chestnut gumeyi. Promerops cafer. Promerops cafer (Linn.), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 377, pi. 121 (1876) ; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 283 (1884) ; Sharpe ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 305 (1884); Kuschel, J. f. 0. 1895, p. 345 (egg) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 83 (1896) : Stark, Faun. S. Afr. i. p. 269, figs. (1900). [March, 1900. 11 162 PROMEROPS CAFER. Adult Male. Above, brown, slightly more rufous on the lanceolate feathers of the crown, which are edged or tipped with brownish buff; lower back and upper tail-coverts washed with olive-yellow. Cheeks and upper throat white with a narrow blackish mustachial band extending halfway down the sides of the throat ; lower throat and chest rufous brown with broad white tips to the feathers ; abdomen paler, passing into bright yellow on the vent and under tail-coverts, the latter with large brown centres. Total length 19 - 5 inches, culmen 1-3, wing 4, tail 14, tarsus 0-95. Cape Town, 7. 2. 74 (Shelley). Adult Female. Like the male. Total length 15 - 7 inches, culmen 1-25, wing 3-8, tail 11, tarsus 095. Cape Town, 7. 2. 74 (Shelley). The Cape Promerops, as this species was first called by Latham in 1782, is confined to Cape Colony. Dr. Arthur C. Stark, our best authority upon South African birds, remarks that this bird is most abundant towards the south-western extremity of the Colony, becoming rare to the east of Grahamstown, its range apparently coinciding with that of certain sugar bushes (Proteas). During my short stay in the Colony I found the present species common in the gardens of Cape Town, and at Mossell Bay, generally in small parties, frequenting the scattered bushes, into which they quickly dived if alarmed, though at other times they preferred the outer twigs, especially those towards the summits of the bushes. In February the Protect bushes were out of bloom, and the most attractive flowers were those of the tall aloes, round which these birds clustered, often in company with Nectarinia famosa, their long silky tails fluttering like ribands to the slightest breeze, while they clung to the flowers and probed them with their long beaks in search of the sweet nectar and small insects. On my disturbing them they flew directly to the nearest covert to hide, in long regular undulations at a few feet from the ground, their long tails closed and appearing to consist of a single feather. At this season, unlike the many Sunbirds I met with in PROMEROPS CAFER. 163 their company, they alone kept in small troops which "followed their leader" from bush to bush, after the manner of the Colies, or of our European Long-tailed Tits. At such times their note is frequently heard; this assembly call has nothing musical in it, but is quaint, if not actually pleasing. Dr. Stark writes : " The Cape Long-tailed Sugar-bird is rarely found at any great distance from its favourite protea- bushes, but in districts where these shrubs grow luxuriantly these birds are frequently very numerous, and generally resident. When not resting they are usually met with in flocks of a dozen or more, busily engaged in hunting through a thicket of proteas in search of nectar and various small insects. " When sucking up the nectar of one of the larger protea- blossoms, the bird perches on the edge of the flower, plunges its long bill and the greater part of its head downwards among the petals, and retains it in this position until satisfied. As a result the narrow, shaft-like feathers of the forehead frequently become saturated and stained with juice, and dusted over with pollen, and it is probable that this bird plays an important part in the cross-fertilisation of several species of Protea. At times these Sugar-birds feed on the saccharine juices of the aloe, the Cape honeysuckle, and several of the larger heaths, as well as on spiders, small beetles, and a variety of smaller insects. They are expert fly-catchers, darting upon passing insects from their perch, and rarely missing their mark. " Towards the end of April, or beginning of May, the males, when not feeding, fighting, or chasing one another with shrill cries, may be usually seen perched on the summit of some prominent bush or young pine tree, their long, flexible, and curved central tail-feathers blowing about in the wind, often in a reversed curve over the bird's head. At intervals one of 164 PROMEROPS CAFER. them will mount twenty or thirty feet in the air, incline his body backwards, violently jerk his tail up and down, and at the same time rustle the feathers together, and bring his wings with sharp, resounding ' claps ' against his sides, before returning to his perch to indulge in an outburst of song. Occasionally a male may be seen to throw the longer tail- feathers into a double curve. " At the same season the hens amuse themselves by flying round and round in a small circle. " This Sugar-bird breeds in winter, in May, June, and July, the flowering season of one of the larger white proteas. The nest, usually completed towards the end of May, is somewhat large, deeply cup-shaped, and strongly built of small sticks and twigs of heath, fibrous rootlets, dry grass, and the spines of pine trees, lined with pine leaves and the red downy seeds of a protea. It is carefully concealed, sometimes in a tuft of heath near the ground, at others in the crotch of a protea- bush four or five feet above it, but more generally, in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, in a thick young pine tree from four to ten feet above the ground. On one occasion I found a nest built on some broken-down sedge in a swampy hollow. Two eggs are laid, and these are incubated, as far as I have observed, by the female only. She sits very closely, with her long tail projecting at an angle over the edge of the nest. The eggs are hatched at the end of fifteen or sixteen days, and the young remain in the nest for about five weeks. The eggs, usually laid about the end of May or early in June, vary considerably in size, shape, and colour ; some are much elongated, others rounded ovates. As a rule the ground colour varies from light buff to reddish-brown ; this may be more or less covered with blotches, scrawls, and zig-zag markings of deep purplish black, or with finer spots and lines of brown. Many eggs resemble those of the European PROMEROPS GURNEYI. 165 Bunting (Emberim miliaria) ; others, as far as colour goes, those of many of the Sunbirds (Nectariniidse). They average 1-00 by 072." Promerops gurneyi. Promerops gurneyi, J. Verr., Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 381 (1876) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1876, p. 425 Transvaal; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 284; Sharpe ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 306 (1884) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 84 (1896) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zululand ; Stark, Faun. S. Afr. i. p. 273 (1900). Adult. Similar to P. cafer, but differs in having no mustachial streak, and in the crown, lower throat, and front of breast being chestnut. Total length 10-1 inches, culmen 1-1, wing 3 - 75, tail 66, tarsus 0-9. Lydenburg district (Barratt). Gurney's Promerops is only known from Natal and the Transvaal. The type, labelled, "Natal," was procured by Mr. T. Ayres, who writes : "In habits this bird much resembles Nectarinia natalensis, its food also being the same, viz., nectar and small insects, especially spiders. It is very rare in this locality, and is besides more shy than most other species. I believe it is only to be found here during the winter months." At a later date he observed it in the Lydenburg distinct, and writes : " Promerops gurneyi is tolerably common, feeding on the nectar of the flowers of a scrubby tree common on the sides and summits of the mountains," and often in company with N.famosa. Mr. Barratt also found it in the Transvaal between Lyden- burg and Pretoria, and Messrs. R. B. and J. D. S. Woodward procured a specimen at Ulundi in Zululand. No doubt the habits of this species are similar to those of its close ally, P. cafer. 166 ZOSTEROPID^E. Family III. ZOSTEROPIDJE. Bill shorter than the head, widened at the gape, and with a prominent, slightly arched culmen. Nostril placed in a short oval groove, which reaches halfway down the bill from the gape to the tip, is covered by a membrane, and opens in a slit. Tongue in Zostcrops split near the end into two short filaments somewhat brush-like in appearance. Wing with the bastard primary excessively small or absent. Tail square, considerably shorter than the wing, of twelve feathers which have angular tips. Tarsi with a few scales in front. They construct a neat cup- shaped nest, which is generally placed near the extremity of a branch and apparently more generally hung to, than supported by, the fork to which it is attached. The eggs are unspotted, apparently always of a pale bluish green colour and do not exceed five in a clutch. This family ranges over the Ethiopian region eastward to New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. It is represented in the Ethiopian region by about thirty known species, all of which, with the exception of Z. Senegal- ensis, are apparently confined to the sub-region in which the type was discovered. Twelve inhabit the African continent and island of Socotra, and the remaining eighteen are confined to the islands. Z. senegalensis inhabits the west, east, and north-east sub-regions, for it ranges over Central and Eastern Africa from 7° S. lat. to 16° N. lat., and westward into the Senegam- bian district, as I find, in the British Museum, a typical example from Bathurst agrees exactly with one from Manda Island. Many ornithologists, however, still divide this species into three or four sub-species, but I am not aware that anyone can define their distinctive ranges, and there are no less than nine distinct names to be divided amongst them. Z. anderssoni is only a large form representing Z. senega- lensis in southern tropical Africa, south of about 10° S. lat. ZOSTEROPID^E. 167 North-east Africa between 5° and 16" N. lat. is inhabited by two nearly allied species, Z. abyssinica and Z. poliogastra, the former ranging eastward into Socotra Island. In Equatorial Africa there is an olive group comprising Z. ewycricota, Z. Mkv/yuensis, Z. jacksoni and Z. stenocricota, the latter known only from Camaroons, which is also the home of Speirops m elanocephala. Z. virens represents this olive group in eastern South Africa, south of 10° S. lat. The white-breasted group, to which Z. abyssinica and Z. poliogastra belong, is represented in South Africa by Z. capensis south of 27° S. lat., and by Z. pallida from Swellen- dam to Rustenberg. The remaining eighteen species are confined to the following islands : — Prince's Is., Z. Jicedulina and Speirops leucophsea. St. Thomas Is., Speirops lugubris. Annobon Is., Z. griseovirescens. Mauritius Is., Z. chloronota, Malacirops mauritiana. Reunion Is., Z. olivacea, and Malacirops borbonica, and M. e-newtoni. Madagascar, including Gloriosa Is., Z. madagascariensis and Z. hovariim. Mayotte Is., Z. mayottensis. Johanna Is., Z. anjuanensis. Great Comoro Is., Z. hirlri, Z. mowroniensis and Z. comorensis. Aldrabra Is., Z. aldabrensis. Seychelles Archipelago, Z. semijiava and Z. modesta. KEY TO THE GENERA AND SUBGENERA. a. Upper tail-covert never white but nearly uniform with the back. a 1 . Lores never white ; white on head 168 ZOSTEROPS. almost or entirely confined to a well marked silky white ring round the eye . Zosterops. a 2 . Some green or yellow on the back or under parts. a 3 . Throat and breast yellowish and never contrasting strongly . . . Subgen. Zosteropisylvia. b 3 . Breast whitish and often contrast- ing strongly with the throat . . . Subgen. Zosterops. b 2 . No green or yellow on the plumage . Subgen. Cyclopterops. b 1 . Lores, as well as the whole or portion of sides of head, white ; bill uniform brown ; no yellow on the plumage . . Speirops. b. Upper tail-coverts white ; no white on sides of head ; no yellow on the plumage . . . Malacirops. Genus I. ZOSTEROPS. All the members of the genus Zosterops may be most readily distin- guished by their having a well marked ring of silky white feathers encircling the eye, which has suggested the English name of White-eye, given to them by Latham in 1783. These active little birds are usually to be met with in groups of six to a dozen together frequenting the sunny edges of the glades or outskirts of the forests. They feed upon soft fruits, buds and insects, and much resemble the Tit in their call notes, their peculiar attitudes, and the apparent dislike they show to alighting on the ground. It is curious that in the genus Zosterops there should be so many groups of very closely allied species, and that these groups are decidedly limited iu their range. This leads me to fancy that some of supposed good species may be only local forms or mere varieties, the plumage possibly being very sensitive to atmospheric action, as it is known that spirits affect their colouring more than that of most other birds. The British Museum contains a fine series of Z. virens, from which I make the following notes : $ ad. August 7, Newcastle. Wing 2-6, tail 2-0, tarsus 0-75. 170 ZOSTEROPS. KEY TO THE SPECIES. Under tail-coverts yellow. a 1 . Throat yellow ; upper parts yellowish green. a 2 . Breast not contrasting strongly with the throat. a 3 . No olive shade on the flanks, which are golden yellow or chestnut. ft 4 . Some chestnut on the flanks. a 5 . Forehead olive like the crown . . scmiflava. b 5 . Forehead bright yellow .... mayottcnsis. i b*. No chestnut on the flanks. c 5 . Paler, sides of forehead lemon yellow (Africa). ft . Smaller; wing about 2-2 inches, senegalensis. b e . Larger; wing 2-3 to 2-4 (S. Africa) andcrssoni. I y d 5 . Darker, sides of forehead tinged with orange (Gt. Comoro Is.). c 6 . Smaller; wing 2-0 to 2-1 ; white eye-ring broader kirki. ' 7 d a . Larger; wing 26; white eye- ring narrower motcroniensis. 1 7 f b 3 . Sides of body shaded with olive. c 4 . White eye-ring narrower. c 5 . Larger; wing 2-3; darker and greener ; not more than the sides and front of the forehead yellow, virens. f 5 . Smaller ; wing 2-1 ; paler and yellower ; a partial eyebrow of yellow reaching back to as far as posterior edge of eye stenocricota. d*. White eye-ring broader. g 5 . Forehead with no yellow, but a faint chestnut shade on the sides, curycricota. h s . Forehead yellow. e 6 . Yellow extends back as far as posterior margin of eye ; front half of crown yellow .... kikmjuensis. I I J' 6 . Yellow extends back as far as ZOSTEROPS. 171 anterior margin of eye ; yellow confined to the entire forehead, jacksoni. c 3 . Under parts uniform whitish yellow. c 4 . Smaller; wing 20 (Prince's Is.) . . ficedulina. ' /*. Larger; wing 2-5 (Annobon Is.) . . griseovirescens. I b • . Breast not yellow and contrasting strongly with the throat. d 3 . Sides of breast strongly shaded with sandy rufous and no grey pallida. I e 3 . Sides of breast greyer. g i . Duller (Africa). i 5 . Above bright yellowish green ; general plumage darker. g a . Smaller; wing 2-3 ; less yellow on forehead (S. Africa) . . . capensis. li 6 . Larger ; wing 2-5 ; forehead bright yellow (N. E. Africa) . poliogastra. | k 5 . Above more ashy olive ; general plumage paler and duller (N. B. Africa) abyssinica. /i 4 . Brighter. Z 5 . No yellow on the breast. i 6 . No yellow on the forehead . . madagascaricnsis. k 6 . Sides of forehead yellow. a 7 . Larger ; wing 2-2 ; throat and under tail-coverts deep yellow anjuancnsis. b 1 . Smaller; wing 2-05; throat and under tail-coverts very pale yellow comormsis. m 6 . Some yellow on chest and centre of abdomen aldabrensis. b 1 . Throat not yellow; some yellowish green on the upper parts. c-. Back of neck and mantle yellowish green ; crown black olivacea. d 2 . Crown, back of neck and mantle slaty grey chloronota. b. No yellow on the plumage ; crown like the back. c 1 . Above brown, a white line from the nostril to the eye (Seychelles) modesta. d 1 . Above grey ; no white line from the nostril to the eye (Madagascar) hovarum. 172 ZOSTEROPS SEMIFLAVA. Zosterops semiflava. (Pi. 6, fig. 2. Zosterops semiflava, E. Newton, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 190 (1884) ; Eidgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1895, p. 514 Seychelles; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 85 (189G). Adult. Above, including the wing-coverts and edges of quills and tail- feathers, olive yellow, yellower towards the upper tail-coverts, remainder of quills and the tail dusky brown ; under wing-coverts white washed with yellow ; sides of forehead bright yellow ; a moderately broad white ring round the eye ; lores and a margin beneath the white eye-ring black. Beneath bright yellow strongly washed with chestnut on the flanks. Bill black, with a pale portion at base of lower mandible ; iris brown ; tarsi and feet grey. Total length 4-5 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 2-35, tail 1-8, tarsus 0-7. Seychelles (E. Newton). The Seychelles Chestnut-flanked White-eye is confined to the Seychelles Archipelago. This species was discovered on Marianne Island by Mr. Nevill, who " saw a flock of some dozen or so, from which he killed a couple." Mr. H. L. Warry and Dr. Abbott also collected specimens here ; others have been met with by Mr. Wrio-ht on Prasliu Island, and Mr. B. Newton was told that the birds inhabit Ladigue and Silhouette, and believed he saw them, on one occasion, at Mahe. Zosterops mayottensis. Zosterops mayottensis, Schl. Sharpe, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 191 (1884) Mayotte Is.; Tristr. Ibis, 1887, p. 370; Milne Edw. and Oust. N. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris (2), x. p. 246 (1888) ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 86 (1896). Adult. Similar to Z. semiflava, but differs in having the forehead bright yellow. Total length 3-9 inches, culmen 0-4, wing 2-15, tail 1-2, tarsus 07. The Mayotte Chestnut-flanked White-eye is confined to the island of Mayotte, one of the Comoro group, situated about ZOSTEROPS SENEGALENSIS. 173 halfway between the northern extremity of Madagascar and the African coast. According to Pollen, who discovered the species, it lives in small flocks of six to twelve individuals, and is generally to be met with along the outskirts of the bush or by the sides of the footpaths, feeding on the small insects and honey from the flowers. It is not shy in its habits, and he likens its song to that of a female Canary. M. Hutnblot collected four specimens, and often found them in company with Ginnyris coquereli. Zosterops senegalensis. Zosterops senegalensis, Bp. Bouvier, Cat. Ois. Marche, &c, p. 14 (1875) Bathurst ; id. Bull. S. Z. France, 1887, p. 252 Uganda ; Petr. Verhandl. Wien. xxxi., p. 144 (1881) ; Hartl. Abhand. Brem. 1881, p. 99 ; 1882, p. 199 Upper White Nile ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 181 (1884) ; id. Journ. Linn. Soc. Zool. xvii. p. 426 (1884) Nyam- Nyam ; Fisch. Zeitsehr. 1884, p. 337 ; id. J. f. O. 1885, p. 138 Arusha ; Beichen. J. f. O. 1887, p. 75 Ussure ; Emin, J. f. O. 1891, p. 60 ; Beichen. t. c. p. 160 Mpapwa, Tabora ; Bendall, Ibis, 1892, p. 219 Gambia; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 87 (1896). Zosterops tenella, Hartl. Fisch. J. f. 0. 1885, p. 138 Kipini, Ishara ; Oust. Bibl. Ecole Hautes Etudes, xxxi. (10), p. 8 (1886). Zosterops kirki (nee Shelley) Shelley, Ibis, 1888, p. 300 Handa Is. ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 594 Makaruiuju ; Hinde, Ibis, 1898, p. 580 Machako's. Zosterops demeryi, Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1890, p. 202 Liberia. Zosterops obsoleta, Biittik. t. c. p. 203 Liberia. Zosterops stuhlmanni, Beichen. J. f. O. 1892, p. 54 Bukoba, Sesse Is. ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 93 (1896) ; Neum. J. f. O. 1898, pp. 236, 237 C. Afr. ; Hartert in Ansorge's " Under Afr. Sun," p. 149 (1899) Unyoro. Zosterops flavilateralis, Beichen. J. f. O. 1892, p. 193 E. Afr. ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 475 Somali; Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. 1896, p. 44 Somali. Zosterops superciliosa, Beichen. J. f. O. 1892, p. 193 Wadelai. Adult. Above, including the wing-coverts and edges of the quills and tail-feathers, olive yellow, slightly more yellow on the rump ; remainder of 174 ZOSTEROPS SENEGALENSIS. the wings and tail brown ; sides of the head and neck like the mantle, but shading into bright pale yellow on the forehead, throat, under surface of body and under tail-coverts ; a silky white ring round the eye, with a black loral patch in front of and below this ring ; under wing-coverts and inner edges of quills white, the former partially washed with yellow. Bill black with the base of the lower mandible leaden grey ; iris reddish brown ; legs leaden grey. Total length 36 inches, culmen 0*4, wing 2-2, tail 1-5, tarsus 06. Bathurst (Brit. Mus.). This species differ chiefly from Z. kirki, of Great Comoro Island, in the general paler yellow shade of the plumage, and from Z. flava, of Borneo, in having a black loral band extending above the gape to half way along the under edge of the white eye-ring. The Senegal Yellow White -eye ranges through Senegambia into Liberia, eastward across the continent to Keren on the Anseba river (17° N. lat.), and south to Ugogo (7° S. lat.). The type of the species was procured by Swainson from Senegal, Marche's collection contained specimens from Bathurst, Verreaux's from Casamanse and Beaudouin's from Bissao. In the British Museum there are five specimens from Senegambia ; here, according to Dr. P. Rendall, it is a rare bird. From Liberia the types of Z. demeryi and Z. obsolete/,, Biittik. were sent to the Leyden Museum in spirits by the late Mr. A. T. Demery, and were brought over by Mr. Biittikofer for comparison with the Zosteropidce in the British Museum, where we agreed together that they were really specimens of Z. senegalensis, with their true colours completely obliterated by the spirits in which they had been preserved ; the latter specimen, apparently a younger bird, had suffered the most. A very similar case is Z. prsetermissa, Tristram, which was described from a specimen of Z. anjuanensis similarly pre- served. This is a warning to all ornithologists against an improper use of strong spirits. It is strange that this species has not been recorded from any other part of the West African coast, for Dr. R. B. Sharpe mentions a " male from Dem Suleiman, November," and there ZOSTEROPS SENEGALENSIS. 175 is another specimen from the Nyam-Nyam country, also obtained in November by Bohndorff at Monderick, which is in the British Museum, along with one labelled " Albert Edward Nyanza (Scott Elliott)" and another " Fadjulli, 3 10. 5. 81 (Emin)." Emin has besides collected sjoecimens to the east of Lake Tanjanyika at Tabora and Mpapwa. According to Dr. S. T. Pruen, at Kakoma in the Usagara country the natives call it " Vimlyelye." The late Dr. Fischer met with the species in Arusha, Ussure, Kipini, Ishara and Kau, and found it plentiful, during his explorations through Masailand, in the high trees, hunting for insects, in pairs or groups up to ten in number. Dr. Hildebrandt found them in the mountains of Ndi in the Teita country around the flowering acacia bushes in company with colonies of Sunbirds. Two of his specimens are in British Museum, which also contains the following : — " Lamu (Kirk)," " Manda Is. (Jackson)," " Machako's, ft" 5 . Larger : wing more than 3 inches. a°. Upper parts mostly blackish brown ; no white on the breast ; flank stripes broad and black . latistriatus (type). J" b G . Upper parts ashy brown ; under parts mostly white ; flank- stripes narrow and brown . . melindce (type). d 3 . Flanks uniform. c 4 . Mantle uniform in adults. c 5 . Hind claw less curved and rarely shorter than the hind toe ; upper parts dull brown. c°. Tarsi and feet longer; tarsus 1-25 inches; middle toe and claw 1-1 ; breast mostly white, pallidiventris . ■' d a . Tarsi and feet shorter. . . . pyrrhonotus f a 7 . Hind claw generally longer than the hind toe. S. Afr. subsp pyrrhonotus, Vieill. b 1 . Hind claw equal to, or shorter than the hind toe. Not S. Afr. subsp goiddi. ANTHUS CHLORIS. 295 f 5 . Hind claw more curved ; mantle more rufous and generally paler ; very rarely with any angular pale tip to the penultimate tail-feather ; rather large, wing, 3-8 to 4-2 inches vaalensis. d 4 . Mantle mottled, with dark centres to the feathers ; penultimate tail- feather generally with an angular pale terminal patch not extending down the feather in adults by more than the breadth of the feather. <7 5 . Bill shorter ; general colouring more rufous nicholsoni. /t 5 . Bill longer; general colouring of upper parts ashy sordidus. .? /t _ d 2 . Hind claw longer than the hind toe, also a pure white pattern on the two outer pairs of tail-feathers, and the shaft of the outer one generally pure white. e s . Flanks uniform ; no olive shade on the upper parts. e 4 . Throat uniform or only slightly mottled with dark shaft- stripes ; dark centres to the inner secondaries narrower and lanceolate, .... campestris. 5 / 4 . Throat strongly mottled with dark shaft-stripes ; dark centres to the inner secondaries broader and less lanceolate rufulus. •? / r , / 3 . Flanks strongly streaked ; an olive shade on the upper parts. g 4 . Bump and upper tail-coverts uni- form ; no vinous rufous on the throat pratensis. h 4 . Bump and upper tail-coverts mottled like the back ; often with the throat vinous rufous cervinns. b. Entire lower half of the thighs bare ; pale pattern of the tail bright yellow tensllus. ■?; Anthus chloris. Anthus chloris, Licht. ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x. p. 539 (1885) Natal ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 151 (1896) ; Stark, Faun. S. Afr. i. p. 243 (1900). 296 ANTHUS CHLORIS. Anthus icterinus, Hartl. Ibis, 1862, p. 147 Swellendam. Adult (summer). Upper parts blackish brown with broad pale edges to the feathers, the latter almost hiding the dark centres on the hind neck and lower back ; the outer wing-coverts and most of the primaries edged with yellow ; axillaries and a large portion of the under wing-coverts next to the bend of the wing bright yellow ; tail-feathers blackish brown, with narrow pale edges slightly tinted with yellow, and some white on the outer wo pairs ; outer tail-feather white with a patch on the basal portion of the inner web blackish, penultimate feather with an angular white end ; sides of head brown mottled with black and white and tinted with yellow on the sides of the forehead and behind the eye ; chin, throat, breast and centre of abdomen bright yellow with black shaft-stripes to the feathers of the lower throat and sides of fore-chest ; remainder of the under surface of the body buff washed with a more tawny shade on the flanks and with blackish lanceolate centres to the greater under tail coverts. Total length 7-1 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 335, tail 2-9, tarsus 095. Newcastle, o CO to o CO OJ ^ CD 1 ■" ■-d £ erf Ni '■W Pi J o CD CO O P-, a) . ^ CD O <-H CO o fn CD -P W o N ;o THE BIRDS OF AFRICA . PL. IX. l.Zosterops comorensis. ps e-newtoru. V*. 7 l.Par 2. " biventri Z BIRDS OF AFRICA.FL.XI. 1. Alcippe aJbyssiraca. . "s. 2.^{5rth&lus irmsculus. t. : : »-i < u s