NECTARININ^. 301 



Length 8 inches; extent 11;|; wing ^; tall 2^ ; bill at front 

 If ; tarsus f. 



This, the giant of the Indian species, is found only in the Hima- 

 layas within our province, but extends into Assam, and the Bur- 

 mese countries. I found it at Darjeeling from the level of the 

 lowest valleys to about 3,000 feet only, generally frequenting high 

 trees, and picking various insects off the flower-buds and leaves 

 I obtained the nest several times, — a very large but loose structure 

 of grass and other fibrous materials, with the hole at one side near 

 the top, and usually containing two or three rather large eggs, of 

 a deep olive-brown colour throughout. 



224. Arachnothera pusilla, Blyth. 



Cat. Birds, p. 328— HoRSF., Cat. 1064— A. affinis, Blyth, Cat. 

 1348 — A. inornata, apud Blyth (olim) — ^Cinnyris longirostris, 

 Jerdon, Suppl. Cat., No. 23G bis. 



The Little Spider-hunter. 



Descr. — Above, olive-green, more or less fulvescent ; the crown 

 darker, with scale-like feathers, merely green-edged ; a dark streak 

 from the base of the upper mandible ; chin and throat white ; rest 

 of the under parts dull greenish-albescent, passing into bright 

 pale yellow on the belly ; tail-feathers slightly tipped with whitish, 

 chiefly on their inner webs, forming a spot most distinct outwardly. 



Bill dusky ; legs plumbeous-brown ; irides brown. 



Length of inches ; wing 2^ ; tail 1-^ ; bill at front 1^ ; tarsus -^^. 



This Spider-hunter is declared by Horsfield to be very closely 

 allied to A. longirostra, Latham, Temm., PI. col. 84, f. 1, and only 

 to difier in being a little smaller, and in the yellow of the abdomen 

 not being so marked. I have found it several times in the forests 

 of the Malabar coast, the Wynaad, and in parts of Mysore border- 

 ing the Neilgherries. It is, however, rare, and it has not been 

 noticed elsewhere in India ; but it is common in the countries to 

 the east of the Bay of Bengal. 



Several nearly-related species are found in Malayana. Among 

 others, A. Phayrel, Bl., from Pegu, very close to A. magna ; A. 



2 L 



