R. I. Pocock—The Collared Sunbird



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black edged with metal lie-green ; the throat metallic golden-green

bordered below by a pectoral band of violet, the rest of the under¬

surface being yellow with bright yellow pectoral tufts. The adult

female resembles the male in the coloration of the upper side, but has

the entire under-surface yellow. So far, at all events as South Africa

is concerned, this Sunbird is exceptional in that both sexes exhibit

metallic plumage at all seasons of the year, and even the nestlings,

according to Shelley, show the metallic plumage of the adult female.

This appears to be one of those cases where a secondary sexual

character, originally appertaining to the male alone, is adopted by the

female, appears in the young at a comparatively early age, and ceasing

to be of sexual significance assumes specific importance. No doubt

readers of the Avicultural Magazine will recollect many similar cases

in birds. The antlers of the reindeer are an instance amongst mammals.


In habits the Collared Sunbird seems to resemble in a general way

other members of the family Nectarinikbe. They frequent low,

flowering bushes, and are seldom seen on the higher trees. During

the winter in Natal, Stark always observed them in larger or smaller

parties, busily engaged in hunting over the leaves and flowers in

search of small insects and nectar. In that province, at all events, the

bird is double-brooded, the first brood being hatched in January

and the second in March. The eggs, invariably two in number, as in

other Sunbirds, are greyish-white, thickly mottled and spotted with

brown and dark grey. The small dome-shaped nest, built of grass and

lined with horsehair and feathers, is suspended from the outer twigs

and leaves of a bush at no great height from the ground.


The two birds in the Gardens are a lively little couple, looking the

embodiment of health and vitality as they dart from place to place

in the cage, moving with equal facility and grace-along the under

and upper side of the branches. They are fed upon Mellin’s Food,

condensed milk and honey mixed together, grapes, soft banana, the

palatability of which they are just beginning to discover, and one

mealworm a day each. Lovers of birds will feel well repaid bv a special

visit to inspect them.


I may add that the typical form of the Collared Sunbird described

above is replaced in East Africa by a local race, Anthothreptes collaris



