558 Mr. B, Alexander — A)i Ornithological 



time they would burst out into chattering little songs^ whose 

 notes closely resembled those of the Siskin, and these now 

 and again giving place to the call-note— a plaintive whistle. 



All the males we obtained near Tete in August and at 

 Zumbo in Decenaber were in full breeding-plumage, the sexual 

 organs being largely developed. The feathers of the fore- 

 heads and chins of many were literally steeped in the yellow 

 powder of the acacia-flower. The male sex appears to pre- 

 dominate to a large extent in this species. 



Capt. Shelley records the range of this Sun-bird as fol- 

 lows : — " From the Quanga and Zambesi rivers southward 

 into Damaraland and Natal." 



6. CiNNYRIS VENUSTUS (Sliaw). 



Our two specimens agree with typical C. venustus both in 

 measurements and coloration of plumage. Typical specimens 

 in the British Museum have the following measurements : — 



Wing. Culiuen. Tail, 



in. in. in. 



Adult c? , Cape Verde 1-9 0-06 1-53 



„ „ 20 006 1-4 



„ River Gambia.... 1-92 0-06 1-3 



Our birds measure : — 



Adult J , Zumbo 1-89 006 1-3 



„ 1-85 0-06 1-32 



According to Professor Bocage, Auchieta found this species 

 in Benguela, and now it appears we have increased its range 

 as far eastward as Zumbo, on the Zambesi, while it is quite 

 probable that it will be found to unite with its closely-allied 

 form, C. falkensteini, in North-eastern Africa. In C.falken- 

 steini the measurements are larger and the bill considerably 

 stronger : — 



Wing. Culmen. Tail. 



in. in. in. 



Adult d, Kilimanjaro 2*2 07 17 



„ Zomba, Nyasaland. 2-18 07 175 



7. Chalcomitra guttukalis (Linn.). 



We first met with this species near the mouth of the 

 Shire river on July 31. A strip of tall orange-red flowering 



