38 Mr. C. F. M. Svvynnerton on the 



often the ease^ the female shews greater boldness than the 

 male, and in the case of the nest I have just mentioned as 

 containing young, ended by visiting them repeatedly in my 

 presence, her mate continuing to fly anxiously backwards 

 and forwards. 



Cinnyris niassa is evidently not particular as to its feeding- 

 ground, for I have noticed it in every kind of country to be 

 found within the area denned above : at Melsetter it not 

 only frequents the sheltered glens, but may be found on the 

 exposed hill-sides up to at least 6500 feet amongst the wind- 

 stunted Brachystegias and Myricas of the locality; during 

 the spring, at all events, the blossoms of the first must 

 supply the birds with sufficient insect-food, while at other 

 seasons they doubtless fall back on the Pro teas. Five males, 

 measured in the flesh, averaged 4"55 inches, ranging from 

 434 to 4*8 inches, and the same number of females averaged 

 4 inches. 



This species was met with by Alexander on the Zambesi, 

 the southernmost locality previously known. 



62. CiNNYiiis chalybyEUs. Lesser Double-collared Sun- 

 bird. 



Rh., P. This Sun-bird has been unusually plentiful, in 

 pairs, in the neighbourhood of Chirinda tliroughout the past 

 year, especially at Cannas, peach-blossoms, and the flowers 

 of Grevillea Banksii. Two fine bushes of the latter at 

 Dr. Thompson's house near Chirinda are never without 

 several of these Sun-birds, in company, usually, with 

 C. niassck and Anthothreptes collaris. I found them common 

 in the kloofs at Melsetter in September, and on the upper 

 Lusitu in the same month. They also occur in the Mafusi 

 district. During March, when my rubber-trees {Manihot 

 Glaziovii) were in full bloom, several of these birds frequented 

 the plantation daily, and on the 22nd of that month Odendaal 

 shot a male there the stomach of which I found to be greatly 

 distended by a ball of elastic brown rubber. Evidently, in 

 attempting to extract the honey from the ManzVioZ-flowers, 

 the bird had been unable to avoid pricking the flat discs, and 



