CINNYRIS VENUSTUS. 63 



steel blue, the latter separated from the more violet lower throat by a few 

 golden green feathers encroaching from the sides of the neck ; chin and a 

 narrow pectoral-band black ; remainder of the under parts buff or pale 

 yellow with bright yellow and orange red pectoral-tufts. Total length 3-6 

 inches, culmen 065, wing 1-95, tail 1-45, tarsus 055. W. Africa (Verreaux). 

 Adult female. Above ashy brown, wings, upper tail-coverts and tail 

 darker ; cheeks and under parts bufflsh white slightly yellower down the 

 centre of the body. Total length 3'8 inches, culmen 06, wing 1-85, tail 1-2, 

 tarsus 0-55. 



The Western Buff-breasted Sunbird ranges over Western 

 Africa from the Senegal to the Cunene and Zambesi rivers. 

 The types of Gerthia quinticolor, Bechst., Ginnyris ■pusillus, 

 Swains., and Nectarinia parvula, Jard., all came from Sene- 

 gambia. 



Marche and De Compiegne have collected specimens at 

 Dakar, Hann and Joal. Dr. Hartlaub records it from Galam 

 and Casamanse on the authority of Verreaux; Beaudouin 

 procured the species at Bissao, and Shaw's type of the species 

 came from Sierra Leone. In Liberia Mr. Biittikofer found 

 these Sunbirds abundant, at Monrovia and Sckieffelinsville 

 and along the banks of the Marfa, Junk and Du Quah rivers, 

 generally in manioc plantations. 



In the Gold Coast district the species is apparently rare, 

 for I only find it recorded as having been procured there by 

 Drs. Reichenow and Biittner from Aguapim and Togoland. 

 An egg from the latter locality is described as of a pale greyish 

 shade with freckles of darker grey and brown forming a zone 

 at the thicker end, and measured 0*6 inch by 0*5. 



Robins collected specimens at Abeokuta, and at the Niger 

 the species has been obtained by Thomson at Aboh and by 

 Forbes at Lokoja and Shonga. 



G. venustus has not, to my knowledge, been recorded from 

 Camaroons ; its occurrence in Gaboon rests on a specimen 

 formerly in Verreaux' s collection and one of Gujon's (Hartl. 

 Orn. W. Afr. p. 48 ; id. J. f. 0. 1861, p. 109). 



