NECTARINIA FAMOSA. 307 
December, and at the Knysna from April to December. Here also 
Andersson obtained many specimens and Captain Shelley also found 
it in the neighbourhood of Mossel Bay. Farther to the eastward the 
latter gentleman obtained it at Port Elizabeth and Mr. Rickard at 
East London. Mr. T.C. Atmore sent us specimens from the vicinity 
of Grahamstown, but in Natal it is apparently rarer, and Captain 
Shelley believes it to be migratory there, as he did not observe it 
during February and March. Mr. Ayres states that it is found more 
in the inland part of the colony, and in the Transvaal ; here, according 
to the same naturalist, it is exceedingly scarce, a few only being found 
in the hills and open country adjacent to Potchefstroom. Mr. T. EH. 
Buckley procured some beautiful male specimens during his trip from 
Natal to the Matabili country, on the Drakensberg mountains. He 
writes as follows :—‘“‘ Only seen in this one place, but most likely only 
a summer visitant. About here I found several pairs living amongst 
the thick patches of bush along the small streams that run down 
the side of the Drakensberg. They were restless but not at all shy.” 
He has also recently met with it both in Natal and Suaziland. 
Mr. F. A. Barratt obtained several in the Macamac district near the 
Lydenburg Goldfields. In the latter district Mr. T. Ayres says that 
it is commoner than C. chalybea frequenting the same localities, but 
is more especially to be found about the sugar bushes with Prome- 
rops gurneyi. Approaching the Zambesi it appears to diminish in 
numbers. Dr. Kirk says that he only saw it once, during the rainy 
season, in a thick clump of trees near the river Shiré. 
An excellent account of the habits of this fine species is given by 
Captain Shelley in his “ Monograph of the Cinnyride,” which 
7 leaves us little to add. It is very partial to the blossoms of the 
aloe, among which it finds an abundance of its insect food. It has 
a shrill, not unpleasing, but short song, and when pursuing a rival 
___ utters a piercing scream. It is very combative, and if two males 
meet about the same bush, a fight is sure to ensue, to the great 
detriment of their beautiful tail-feathers. The males lose their 
beauty in the winter season; and the young birds are just like the 
females. It builds a domed nest of cobweb, lichens, dry leaves, and 
odds and ends of all kinds, usually suspended on the outside of a 
bush or from the branch of a tree. The eggs, two* in number, are 
* Two seems the normal number of eggs laid by all the Cape Wectarinie, 
and some observers affirm the preduce of these is always a male and female 
bird, 
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