Birds of the Gold Coast Colony S^c. 285 



Reichen. J. f. O. 1891, p. 391 (Togoland) ; id. J. f. O. 1897, 

 p. 47 (Togoland) ; Hartert, Nov. Zool. vi. p. 415 (1899) 

 (Gambaga) ; Shelley, B. Afr. ii. p. 36 (1900). 



Abundant in the open country — Cape Coast Castle, Accra 

 Plains, Volta River, and the Hinterland. At Kintampo, 

 where the forest gives way to open country covered with 

 scrub and bush, these little Sun-birds were very numerous 

 in November, either threading their way through the 

 undergrowth or crowding round the tops of the tall trees 

 then in blossom. From March to June adult males were 

 met with j at the end of November immature birds were 

 beginning to assume the adult plumage. 



4. CiNNYRis supERBUs (Shaw). 



Cinnyris superbus Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 48 (1884) ; Reichen. 

 J. f. O. 1897, p. 47 (Togoland). 



This is essentially a forest-bird, of which specimens were 

 obtained at Prahsu and Kwissa. We never met with it 

 at Cape Coast Castle, nor at Kintampo outside the forest- 

 belt. In the open spots in the forest, where the sun can 

 penetrate and flower-vegetation is luxuriant, this Sun-bird 

 is plentiful. It is very partial to the young fruit-buds of the 

 paw-paw tree. At the end of June, the middle of the rainy 

 season, adults in perfect plumage were obtained, and in 

 October immature males were assuming the full plumage. 



5. Cinnyris johann^e Verr. 



Cinnyris Johannce Verr. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1851, p. 314; 

 Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 49; Shelley, B. Afr. ii. p. 43 (1900). 

 Specimens obtained at Fumsu and Prahsu. 



6. Cinnyris sPLENDiDus (Shaw). 



Cinnyris splendidus Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 50 (1884) ; 

 Reichen. J. f. O. 1891, p. 392 (Togoland) ; id. J. f. O. 1897, 

 p. 47 (Togoland) ; Shelley, B. Afr. ii. p. 45 (1900). 



This is by far the most abundant Sun-bird in the Colony. 

 In June, around Cape Coast and even in the town itself, we 

 found it numerous, frequenting the tulip-trees {Bombax), 

 then in blossom. Unlike C superbus, this species is not 

 found in the forest, but haunts rough bush-covered localities 



