56 CINNYRIS MICRORHYNCHUS. 



The Least Bifasciated Sunbird ranges over Eastern Africa 

 from the Zambesi to the Equator. 



The most southern locality known for this species is the 

 left bank of the Zambesi, where Mr. Boyd Alexander collected 

 seven specimens between the Shire and Kufue rivers, and 

 writes: "During our stay at Zumbo, on the Zambesi, con- 

 siderable numbers of these Sunbirds suddenly appeared on 

 December 13, amongst the acacia growth, which was then 

 in full blossom." The six males he procured were at that 

 season passing out of the breeding plumage into the dull dress. 

 They were certainly adults, for according to his note book, 

 " the sexual organs were too much developed to be those of 

 immature birds." This species apparently breeds towards 

 June, for in that month Mr. Alexander Whyte obtained a male 

 in full breeding plumage at Songue. 



In about the same latitude on the Mozambique coast, 

 Serpo Pinto found the species at Port Bocage and Ibo in 

 12° 21' S. lat. 



Further north specimens have been collected by Thomson 

 at the Rovuma river, by Bohn at Kakoma, and it is apparently 

 also very common along the Zanzibar coast, at least as far 

 north as Malindi, 3° 20' S. lat., where it was found by Fischer, 

 and inland has been met with still further north by Mr. 

 Jackson during his journey from the coast to Ukambani, so 

 we may fairly take the Equator as the northern boundary of 

 its known range. 



With regard to these last four species, they very closely re- 

 semble each other in plumage, but with a little care they can be 

 always recognised and they have each a well marked range thus : 



G. mariquensis, south of the Cunene and Zambesi rivers. 



G. osiris, Eastern Africa from 5° S. lat. to 16° N. lat. 



G. bifasciatus, Western Africa north of the Cunene into 

 (iaboon. 



< '. microrhynchus, Eastern Africa from Zambesi to Equator. 



