Expedition to the Zambesi River. 561 



Capt. Shelley records the following range for this Sun- 

 bird : — " From Angola into Damaraland^ and from thence 

 throughout Eastern Africa from Natal to 1° N. lat. on the 

 Somali coast/'' 



8. Chalcomitra kirki (Shelley). 



By no means abundant. We never met with any fully 

 adult birds, obtaining our two immature males with the 

 metallic-coloured throats of the adult on November 12 at 

 Zumbo, and subsequently two females as we journeyed up 

 the river. 



The southernmost range of Kirk's Amethyst Sun-bird is 

 the Limpopo river. It appears to be the north-eastern 

 representative of Chalcomitra amethystina (Shaw), from 

 which it differs in being slightly smaller and in possessing 

 no metallic colour on the upper tail-coverts. 



9. EljEOCerthia fischeri Reichenow. 



Decidedly scarce. Our only specimen was obtained on 

 August 1, in a grove of tall trees at the little village of Um- 

 quasi, on the left bank of the river, and about 60 miles below 

 Tete. The bird was extremely shy, flitting from one tall tree- 

 top to another, and never descending to the undergrowth 

 of acacia-bushes, which was frequented by numbers of 

 Chalcomitra gutturalis. The range of this species appears 

 to be from the Zambesi river northward into Eastern Africa 

 as far north as Manda Island. Both in measurements and 

 plumage, E. fischeri runs the allied species, E. verreauxi, 

 extremely close. The British Museum possesses two typical 

 specimens of the former from Manda Island, while of the 

 latter there is a good series of specimens collected in Natal 

 and Zululand^ and these vary considerably inter se as regards 

 measurements. The slightly greyer upper parts and paler 

 shade of the underparts appear to be the only characters 

 that separate it from E. verreauxi, but it is doubtful whether 

 these will remain constant when a larger series of both forms 

 is forthcoming. 



10. Anthothreptes hypodila (Jard.). 



Our only specimen was obtained on July 30 near Tete, 



