ba 
CINNYRIS AFER. 313 
blackish-brown, appearing in some lights almost black. Length, 
almost 6”. 
Fig. Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyride, part i. 
298. CINNYRIS AFER. Greater Double-collared Sun-bird. 
Nectarinia afra, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 76. 
This bird neve? visits the neighbourhood of Cape Town. It re- 
places O. chalybeeus in the forest districts, but about Swellendam it is 
mingled with it, and keeps to the wooded river banks. At the 
Knysna it is abundant, and has the same habits as the latter, being 
only perhaps rather more shy. Mr. W. Atmore found several nests in 
the long Kloof, George district, in October ; he says “ that they were 
well woven with the fibre of Asclepias, grass-bents, snake-skins, and all 
sorts of odd things, and then filled up with feathers. My boys have 
taken three or four nests each with but two eggs, and I believe that 
to be the orthodox number.” The eggs sent were similar in colour 
(clouded grey-brown) and size to those of the western species CO. 
chalybeeus. Le Vaillant’s account of the breeding is quite wrong ; 
the nests are not placed in the fork of a tree as he states, but are the 
usual domed and pendant structures, and tho eggs are like those of 
C. chalybeus. Mr. Rickard has obtained the present species at Port 
Elizabeth and at East London, and Mr. T. C. Atmore at Hland’s 
Post in the eastern district. 
Captain Shelley writes :— During my short stay in the neighbour- 
hood of Durban from February to April, I did not meet with this 
species, it being, as I was informed, migratory, but occasionally 
resorting there during the breeding season in July and August ; 
from Pinetown some twelve miles distant I have received several 
specimens collected by Mr. T. L. Ayres. Mr. T. HE. Buckley 
found it rare in Suaziland. An example from Algoa Bay as well 
as another from the Zambesi are in the collection of the British 
Museum, and were formerly in that of the editor: the latter was 
said to have been collected by the late Dr. Meller. Mr. T. Ayres 
noticed the species in the Lydenburg district. Mr. Andersson 
writes as follows:—‘ This is another species brought by Mr. 
Chapman from the Lake-country, as I have been assured by Mr. 
Layard; it never came under my personal observation, except in 
the south-eastern districts of the Cape Colony. It frequents forests, 
but may occasionally be observed in the more open parts during 
