NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



with red tinge. Flanks olive. Pectoral tufts yellow. Iris 

 dark brown. Bill, feet, and legs black. 



Lengthy 6.75 ; tail, 3.20 ; wing, 2.25. The two centre 

 feathers of the tail are longest. 



Distribution. — Cape Province only. 



Habits. — This little sun bird frequents the heath-covered 

 flats, hillsides, and summits of mountains. They breed in 

 winter. The nest is usually in a heath bush. It is oval and 

 domed, with the entrance near the top. It is constructed of 

 twigs, grass, bits of heath, down, or leaves, and lined with the 

 white petals of the proteas. Clutch, 2 ; eggs white with small 

 spots and streaks of grey-brown ; size, 0.65 by 0.48. 



Greater Double-collared Sun Bird {Cinnyris afer). 

 (Vol. I., p. 243.) 



Description. — Male : beautiful metallic-green above and 

 on the throat. Upper tail coverts steel-blue. Breast scarlet, 

 separated from the green of the throat by a line of glittering 

 steel-blue. Pectoral tufts yellow. Iris dark brown. Bill and 

 legs black. 



Length, 5.50 ; tail, 2.25 ; wing, 2.60. 



Distribution. — From eastern parts of Cape Province, north 

 through Natal and into the Transvaal. 



Habits. — Frequents the woodlands and open grassy and aloe- 

 covered hillsides. Often seen in flower gardens. The nest 

 is domed, with the entrance near the top. It is built of grass, 

 cobwebs, bits of bark, lichen, etc., and is lined with hairs, feathers, 

 and down. The nest is suspended from the end of a twig in 

 a tree. Clutch, 2 ; eggs smoky-grey, profusely mottled and 

 spotted with brown and slaty-grey ; size, 0.72 by 0.52. 



Black Sun Bird {Cinnyris amethystinus). (Vol. I., 

 P- 247O 

 Description. — Velvet black with a purple tinge. Crown 

 glittering metallic-green. The throat, cheeks, and upper tail 



94 



