Himalayan and Kashmiri Birds 



They also eat insects. The hen is a bird of 

 dull plumage. 



111. JEthofyga ignicauda : The Fire-tailed, 

 Yellow-backed Sunbird. F. 887, J. 228, -I. E. 



Cock : Upper plumage crimson, with metal- 

 lic-blue crown and yellow rump. Lower 

 plumage yellow, with purple on throat and 

 some crimson on breast. Middle pair of tail 

 feathers elongated. 



Hen : A dull yellow-green bird with brown 

 wings and tail and some yellow on lower parts. 

 Middle tail feathers not lengthened. 



It is only likely to be seen at Darjeeling 

 in April, while it is migrating towards its 

 breeding grounds at high elevations. In April 

 the cocks have not got their full plumage. 

 They are then like the hen, but with bright 

 patches of colour. 



112. ^thopyga nepalensis : The Nepal Yel- 

 low-backed Sunbird. F. 892, J. 229, —I. E. 



Cock : Head, neck and throat metallic- 

 green, with black on sides of head and deep 

 red on sides of neck. Upper back deep red or 

 maroon. Rest of back yellow, brightest on 

 rump. Tail, of which middle pair of feathers 

 is longer than the others, metallic-green and 

 black ; all feathers except the two middle 

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