NECTARIXIIN.E. 13 



Impaticus humblotiana, which grows there in abundance, and 

 for which their long curved bills are so well adapted. They 

 prefer the deep forest to the less thickly wooded hill where 

 Ginnyris notata is found, or the coast line and open country 

 frequented by C. souimanga. 



Subfamily II. NECTARINIINiE. 



Bill less curved and less flexible towards the end than in Neodrepanina ; 

 terminal third of the cutting edges of both mandibles very finely serrated ; 

 never any wattles on the sides of the head ; first long primary entire ; tail 

 more than half the length of the wing and considerably longer than the 

 culmen. 



This subfamily is represented in the Ethiopian Eegion by about 86 

 species, of which only two or three range as far eastward as Arabia. 



These Ethiopian species may be conveniently placed in seven genera, the 

 characters of which are mostly based on the style of colouring of the males 

 in full plumage. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



a. Tail of full plumaged males differs from that 



of the females in having the centre pair 



of feathers much elongated and narrower 



throughout their length than the next pair. 



a 1 . Culmen considerably shorter than the 



tarsus ; adult males with the centre 



tail-feathers rounded and widened at 



their tips Hedydipna. 



b 1 . Culmen not shorter than tarsus; adult 

 males with the centre tail-feathers 

 rather pointed and not widened at 

 their tips Nectarinia. 



b. Tail nearly similar in form in both sexes. 



c 1 . Keel of lower mandible never perfectly 

 straight. 



a 2 . Head, neck, and mantle of metallic 

 colours in full plumaged males ; no 

 metallic colours on the females . . . Cinnykis. 



b-. General colouring brown, with metallic 

 colours (only in the males) confined 

 to the crown, wing-coverts, rump and 

 throat Chalcomitba. 



