84 RFV. ROBERT GODFREY 



The Black Honeysucker — Ch. amethyMina (Shaw) — 

 is a conspicious and abundant species throughout oui* 

 area. Like its allies, it feeds mainly on nectar; but not 

 uncommonly it indulges in an insect-diet, darting out 

 repeatedly from the shelter of a tree to catch its prey in 

 the air. 



This is an exceptionally noisy species. The male, 

 when in hot pursuit of a rival of his mate, utters a shrill 

 neigh or whinny, which is the most characteristic trait 

 of the species, and which has its counterpart in the 

 racketty cry of the Malachite Honeysucker. I have 

 heard a bird attempt the whinny on July 27th, bat the 

 full whinny goes on from 7th August to March 21st, 

 corresponding, that is, Avith the breeding season. 



My notes on the song-period are very meagre and are 

 doubtless incomplete. They give the singing i)eriod as 

 June, August and September. In the case of this species, 

 the female also has a song. On 17th August, 1918, T 

 watched a female singing a low continued song from a 

 bare twig, while the male was perched high above. 



Nest-building begins in September, and the birds are 

 engaged in home-duties till far on in April. On 28 

 September, 1908. at Fine, Mr. John Ross found a nest 

 slimly suspended from the lichen-covered branch of a 

 tree. On October 2nd, when taken, the nest contained 

 one egg. The nest was a thick loose mass of grasses, 

 with a few broader blades, some leaves and glistening 

 white vegetable down; in shape it was a loose bag, 

 measuring 171 millimetres deep by 89 thick in external 

 measurements. The upper margin of the entrance hole, 

 which was a side opening 55 mm. high by 50 broad., was 

 loosely, constructed, but the small lower lip was distinct- 

 ly formed. The lining consisted of a dense mass of 

 feathers, belonging to the barnyard fowl, the guinea fowl 

 and the common waxbill, with a quantity of vegetable 

 down, some hair, a little wool and the fur of some wild 

 animal. The eg<^, measuring 19 by 13 mm., is so thickly 



