AVES. 507 



bird lives on the highest mountains of central Europe, and feeds on 

 insects, especially on larvae and spiders. It is a bird of passage which 

 in the winter descends into lower districts, and then even visits towns 

 situated in the neighbourhood of high mountains, living in old buildings 

 and towers. 



Family XLIV. Nectarinice. Primaries in some nine, in some 

 ten, the first short. Wing-coverts short. Tarsi longer than middle 

 toe, covered anteriorly with transverse scutes, at the sides with a 

 contmuous scute. Outer toes conjoined at the base only. Claw of 

 hallux curved, scarcely or not longer than anterior middle. Tongue 

 long, mostly terminated by set^ or bifid. 



Nectarima Illig. (in part), Temm., Gray, Cinmjris Cuv. Bill 

 moderate or long, subcurved or arched, with margins serrate and 

 toothed (the incisures not distinguishable by the naked eye). 

 Nostrils placed in a fossa, lateral, basal. Wings with ten primaries, 

 the first short, the fourth (more rarely the third) longest of all.' 

 Tarsi equalling or surpassing the middle toe in length. 



Arachnothera Kuhl, Temm. Bill long, trigonal at the base, sub- 

 curved. Wings with quills from the third to the fifth subequal, 

 fourth or third longest of all. Tail broad, even, short. 



Sp. Nectarinia longirostris, Certhia lonrjirostris Lath., Temm. PI. col. 84, 

 fig. I ;— Nectarinia inomata, Cinnyris affinis Horsf. Temm. PI. col. 84, 

 fig. 2, fee; species from the East Indies, especially from the island 

 Sumatra. Compare S. Mueller Verh. over de nat. Gesch. der Nederl. 

 Overzeesche Bezittingen, Aves, pp. 67—70. They are larger than the species 

 of the following sub-genus and very uniformly coloured, above brownish- 

 green, below grey or yellow. 



Nectarinia Temm. Bill moderate or a little longer than head, 

 slender. Tail moderate, even, more rarely graduated (and in males 

 with two middle feathers elongate). Tarsi longer than middle toe, 

 slender. (Males adorned with splendid metalhc plumage and shining- 

 colours.) 



Sp. Nectarinia senegalensis, Certhia senegalensis h., Briss. Ortiith. in. PI. 34, 

 fig. 2, Gov. R. Ani., 'ed. ill., Ois. PI. 42, fig. 4, Less. Oruith. PI.' 76^ 

 fig. 2.— Nectarinia chalybcea L., Buff. PI. enl. 246, fig. 3, &c. To those 

 species^ in which the two middle tail-feathers are very long, belongs 

 Nectarinia jpulchella, Certhia pulcheUaJj., Buff. PI. enl. 670, fig. i. Swains. 

 Birds of W. Africa, 11. Tab. 14, &c. All the species of this numerous 

 genus are from the warm countries of the eastern hemisphere, and rival 

 the Humming-hirds of America in brilliancy of colours. 



