316 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Swellendam, through Mr. Cairncross, who informs us that. the 
specimens sent by him were procured in the mimosa trees which line 
the banks of the rivers flowing through that district. We saw it at 
the Knysna, and its habits appeared similar to those of the common 
C. chalybeus. Victorin also obtained it in the latter locality from 
April to November, and we have seen numerous specimens obtained 
there by Mr. Andersson. Mr. Rickard informs us that it is not very 
common at Port Elizabeth, where it frequents the aloes when in 
flower : at East London, however, he says that it is very abundant 
on the Tecoma (Cape Honeysuckle). Mr. T. Atmore has procured . 
it near Eland’s Post and Grahams Town, and in Natal it is by no 
means rare. We have received from Captain Harford the nest and 
eggs taken by him in that colony in November. Mr. T. EH. 
Buckley informs us that it was plentiful in Suaziland during 
his recent journey in that country, but it does not cross the 
Limpopo into the Matabili country. Mr. Barratt writes :—‘‘I 
shot one or two near Rustenberg, and observed it more than once 
during my journey through the bush between that place and 
Potchefstroom; I also saw a few in the bush near Pretoria, and 
I have killed it in British Kaffraria, near East London, in company 
with 0. chalybeeus ; it is, however, much more shy in its habits than 
the latter bird. Professor Barboza du Bocage has recorded it from 
Caconda in Benguela, where it was procured by Senor Anchieta. 
Mr. Atmore writes: ‘ Oudtshoorn, 24th January, 1863. I 
enclose you a couple of eggs of the black sugar-bird. The nest is 
a curious structure, hanging on the branch of an apple-tree, very 
rough outside, composed of short bits of stick, grass, and spider’s- 
web—arched, as are the nests of all the tribe. The number of eggs 
appears to be two, as we did not take these till they were incubated; 
before they were blown they were of a soft, creamy-yellow colour. 
T have not seen this species west of the Gouritz River: on the other 
side they are plentiful, especially when the ‘wilde dagga’ is in 
flower.” 
The eggs sent by Mr. Atmore are of a beautiful creamy grey, with 
indistinct, confused blotches, spots, and streaks, chiefly at the obtuse 
end; axis, 9”; diam., 6”. Others sent by Captain Harford were 
spotted here and there as if fly-blown and then smudged. 
Top of head and forehead, shining green; throat and rump 
cupreus ; shoulders the same, but with a tinge of blue; all the 
