166



More notes on new humming-birds.



And now for some mishaps. With that radiant species in¬

habiting' Transvaal (Cinnyris mariquensis), truth compels me once

more to confess to failure. Out of four individuals received in

October 1914, two died within a few months, one survived until

the summer, and the fourth, whom I got over his moult after almost

incredible pains, suddenly became a prey to brain disease, and

gradually succumbed to it after less than a year’s life in captivity.

Certainly the most disappointing birds I have handled yet, possibly

owing to the great difficulty of obtaining creatures whose home is so

remote inland, that the endless journey to the coast and subsequent

voyage across the ocean, even with the help of a temporary rest at a

kind friend’s home between the two ordeals, weaken their naturally

delicate constitution to such a point that a complete rally becomes

all but impossible.


My one specimen of JEthopyqa nepalensis, obtained through

a friend in England in July 1914, underwent a fairly good moult

and looked like doing well, in spite of a bare neck which stubbornly

refused to grow feathers until some three or four months ago, but just

as his head was at last getting covered with quills and I was rejoicing

at this reward of twelve months’ patient wait, he died in a fit.


JEthopyqa saturata, I am thankful to state, has done better

and moulted beautifully, though indeed not easily, last year about

this time; he is now in the throes of this operation again. Another

extremely delicate genus 1 fear: this is the more to be regretted

because with its lovely blue and black plumage, its long tail, its

sweet, strangely passionate little song and instinctive tameness, it

is also one of the most charming.


To finish these notes with a contrast to this frail little fellow,

Cinnyris amethystinus, a very robust species, which has just shed

his old garb and looks once more very pleased with his sombre yet

shining new dress.


#


Below will be found, such as it is, the musical rendering of

some of the sun birds’ phases or calls. Partly because in the case

of many genera—for instance, Nectarinia famosa —it is impossible

to convey an idea of the song, which, though clear and pretty, is

not of a musical quality ; partly on account of the confusion of



