368 



NKCTABINIIDvE. 



Legs and feet pale dirty green ; the bill dark homy brown; 

 irides wood-brown (Davison). 



Length 4-5 ; tail 2T ; wing 2-4; tarsus -55 ; bill from gape "7. 

 The female is slightly smaller than the male. 



Distribution. The southern part of Tenasserim from Mergui 

 southwards, extending down the Malay peninsula to Sumatra and 

 Borneo. 



Subfamily A H ACHNOTHERIN/E. 



The Sun-birds of this subfamily are characterized by a somewhat 

 massive body, a long and strong bill, and non-metallic plumage. 

 The sexes are either quite alike or very nearly so. The tail of all 

 the members of this subfamily is short and rounded. There is 

 only one genus, containing five Indian species, represented within 

 Indian limits. 



Genus ARACHNOTHERA, Temm, 1826. 



In the genus AracJmothera the bill is extremely long, about 

 twice the length of the head or longer, much curved, stout at base, 

 and with the culmen ridged between the nostrils. In four out of 

 the five Indian species of this genus the sexes are alike, and in the 

 fifth they resemble each oth^r very closely. The plumage of all is 

 more or less green. 



The Sun-birds of this genus are generally found in dense ever- 

 green forests or in thick plantain-gardens in retired spots. They 

 affect the flowers of plantain-trees (Musa) more than those of any 

 other tree and their nests appear to be frequently attached to the 

 leaves of these. 



Key to the. Species. 



a. No yellow on side of head. 

 a'. Upper plumage .streaked. 



a". Back and rump distinctly streaked ; 



wing 3 - 7 in males A. magna, p. 369. 



b" . Back and rump indistinctly streaked ; 



wing 3*4 in males A. aurita, p. 370. 



b'. Upper plumage unstreaked. 



c". Lower plumage uniform ashy green, 



obsoletely streaked A. modesta, p. 370. 



d". Lower plumage yellow ; chin and 



throat dull white A. longirostris, p. 371. 



b. Portion of side of head yellow A. chrysogenys, p. 371. 



