PBOMEROPro^. 83 



140. Nectarinia Platura. (Vieii.) N. Syivieiia, 



Temra., PI. Col. 347 ; K Cyanopygos, Licht. ; Jard. 



Sunbirds, PI. 19 ; Le Sucrier Figuier, Le Vail., 



PL 293, Fig. 2. 

 Head, neck, back, and wing-coverts, ebining golden- green ; 

 rump violet ; wing and tail feathers black ; the centre pair 

 of the latter prolonged, and gilt with a reddish gold ; belly 

 and vent fine yellow. 



Le Vaillant says he discovered this species only in the forests of 

 Great Namaqualand, feeding principally on an inodorous jasmine, 

 climbing over the mimosa trees. Sundevall states it is only known 

 from Western Africa. 



141. Nectarinia Melanura. (Sparm.) Mus. 



Carls., t. 5 ; Lesson, Vol. 2, p. 51 ; Certhia Mela- 

 nura, Lath. ; Anthornis Melanura. 



Head and back violet ; chest and belly inclined to green ; 

 wing-coverts brown, and bordered with olive ; tail black, 

 long, and forked. Length, 6" 2'". 



This bird was first described by Sparmann as a native of the Cape of 

 Good Hope. It is, however, a New Zealand species ; not a Nectarinia, 

 but an Ant/iomis ! ! 



The two next birds have- also been wrongly described as native of 

 the Cape of Good Hope. 



142. Sitta OhloriS. (Sparm.) Lesson, Vol. 1, p. 

 361; Acanthositta Ghloris, Gray; A. Tenuirostris, 

 Lafr. 



Body, green above ; white below ; tail black, yellow on the 

 end ; a yellowish spot in the centre of the wing. 



Cape of Good Hope, Lesson (loc, cit.) ; but a New Zealand species, 

 according to Sundevall. 



143. Sitta Oaflfira. (Sparm.) Lesson, Vol. 1, p, 

 361 ; Tatar e Otaitiensis. 



Body above, variegated with yellow and black ; below yel- 

 low ; feet black ; claws yellow. 



Kaffraria : Lesson (loc. cit.) ; but a South Sea Island species, 

 according to Sundevall. 



Genus BICJEUM, Cuvier. 

 Bill short, curved, broad, and rather depressed at the base, 

 with the culmen curved to the tip, which is acute, and finely 

 serrated on the lateral margins ; the sides eompressed, and 



