CINNYRIS AFFINIS. 65 



The Abyssinian Buff-breasted Sunbird represents G. 

 venustus in Shoa, Abyssinia and Kordofan. 



Tn Shoa the species must be fairly abundant. Harris 

 found it there and Antinori and Ragazzi collected eleven 

 specimens ; of these, five of the males obtained in June and 

 August were in full plumage, and the three males collected 

 in November and December were in imperfect plumage. 



In Abyssinia, Mr. Blanford writes : " This replaces N. 

 habessinica above 3,500 to 4,000 feet and extends upwards 

 into the temperate region. It breeds about May, and I saw 

 young birds with the parents in July. The extent of blue on 

 the neck appears to vary slightly." 



Jesse found the species plentiful about Rayrayguddy and 

 procured specimens on his journey from Undal "Wells to 

 Facado in May, but did not meet with it on his return 

 journey, although Lefebvre found it common throughout the 

 year in Tigre. 



Von Heuglin met with this Sunbird at Takah and in 

 Southern Kordofan where it appeared to be a resident, and 

 was in full plumage during the rainy season. According to 

 his observations, it does not appear to be very generally 

 distributed, for he found it on the eastern side of the 

 Abyssinian highland at no greater elevation than 6,000 or 

 7,000 feet, only among the mountain valley and apparently 

 it never descended actually to the coast. This may account 

 for Mr. A. J. Cholmley not having met with the species along 

 the west coast of the Red Sea. According to Riippell it is 

 to be found plentifully in small parties along the road from 

 Masowa to the Taranta Pass. 



With regard to its habits, it appears to breed in April and 

 May, and Brehm informs us that a pair, although not in full 

 plumage, had their nest almost completed. The latter was 

 placed not more than three feet from the ground, between 



[June, 1SU9. 5 



