CHALCOMITEA. EL JJOCERTIIIA . 



25 



Cbalcomitra gutturalis, Shelley, Birds Afr. ii. p. 93 (1900) ; Sharpe, 

 Hand-l. v. p. 50 (1900). 



An egg of the Southern Scarlet-chested Sun-bird is of a wide 

 oval form, slightlj' pointed and devoid of gloss ; the ground-colour 

 is white, finely spotted and speckled all over with grey and olive- 

 brown. It measures "65 by 'SI. 



1. East Africa {Kehrkorn Coll.). Crowley Bequest. 



Chalcomitra amethystina (Shaiv). 

 (Plate I. figs. 19 & 20.) 



Cinnyris amethystinus, Sharpe, ed. Layard, Birds S. Africa, p. 315 



(ISriJ-bi) ; 'Shelley, Monogr. Nect. p. 269 (1876-80) ; Kuschel, J.f. O. 



1895, p. 340. 

 Cinnyris amethystina, Gadow, Cat. Birds B. M. ix. p. 96 (1884) ; Nehrk, 



Kat. Eiersamml. p. 78 (1899). 

 Cbalcomitra amethystina, Shelley, Birds Afr. ii. p. 103 (1900) ; Sharpe, 



Hand-l. V. p. 61 (1906). 



The eggs of the Amethyst Sun-bird are extremely variable.. 

 Two examples in the Collection are regular ovals and of a greyish 

 cream-colour, longitudinally smeared with purplish-grey and 

 spotted with dark sootj'-brown, these markings being much blurred 

 and smudged. Two other eggs are narrow ovals and of a darker 

 shade of greyish cream- coloiir, longitudinally streaked and smeared 

 with pale lavender-grey and very sparingly spotted with dark 

 brown. Other specimens are of quite a different character, being 

 cream-coloured, densely mottled all over with brown and lavender- 

 grey. Eight examples measure from -69 to -SI in length, and from 

 •5 to *55 in breadth. 



2. South Africa (Noukes). Crowley Bequest. 



2. N&thl {T. Ay res). Sal vin-Godman Coll. 



2. Na1al (7'. A.). Salvin-Godman Coll. 



2. Natal. Dr. Gueinzius [C.]. 



2. Natal. Dr. Gueinzius [C.]. 



Genus EL^EOCERTHIA, Beiclienh. 



Elseocerthia fusca ( Vieill.). 



Cinnyris fuscus, Shelley, Monogr. Nect. p. 285 (1876-80). 



Cinnvris fusca, Gadoiv, Cat. Birds B. M. ix. p. 75 (1884) ; Kuschel, 



J.f. O. 1895, p. 346; Nehrk. Kot. Eiersamml. p. 77 (1899). 

 Elffiocerthia fusca, Shelley, Birds Afr. ii. p. 115 (1900) ; Shaipe, Hand-l. 



V. p. 52 (1906). 



Eggs of the White-vented Black Sun-bird are of a regular oval 

 form or slightly pointed, and are almost devoid of gloss. They vary 

 considerably in colour and markings : four have the ground-colour 

 greenish-white, finely mottled and clouded with lavender-grey and 



