76 CINNYRIS CHALYBEUS. 



On referring to C. chalybeus, Sharpe's ed. Layard's B. S. 

 Afr. p. 315, will be found printed: "We also believe that 

 we have rightly identified this species as occurring in Mr. 

 Chapman's collection from Lake Ngami." 



This reference and the one in the same work, to G. afer 

 having been collected in the Lake Ngami district by Mr. 

 Chapman, must be both incorrect. As to their referring to 

 G. ludouicensis, it is improbable, as there is no reference made 

 to the specimens by Mr. Chapmau, although he gave a good 

 list of the birds he collected in his " Travels, Interior, S. Afr. 

 1868;" but it is highly probable that he added these Sun- 

 birds to his collection while he was in Cape Colony. 



That G. ludovicensis may occur in the Lake Ngami district 

 is not improbable, for Mr. Alexander Whyte has collected in 

 Nyasaland, on the Nyika Plateau in June, four specimens in 

 full adult male plumage. 



Cinnyris chalybeus. 



Cinnyris chalybeus (Linn.), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 253, pi. 78 (1876) ; 

 Ayres, Ibis, 1876, p. 425 ; Butler, Feilden & Reid, Zool. 1882, p. 247 

 Natal; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 256 Bustenburg, UmvuliB.; Gadow, 

 Cat. B. M. ix. p. 37 (1884) ; Kuschel, J. f. 0. 1895 (egg); Rendall, 

 Ibis, 1896, p. 171 Transvaal; Marshall, t. c. p. 243 Salisbury; 

 Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 41 (1896) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zulu; 

 Sowerby, Ibis, 1898, p. 569 Mashona. 



Adult Male. Similar to C. afer, but smaller and with the scarlet 

 pectoral-band narrower and slightly darker. Total length 5 inches, culrnen 

 0-8, wing 2-25, tail 1-9, tarsus 065. Durban (Gordge). 



Adult Female. Similar in plumage to C. afer. Ceres, Cape Colony, 

 28. 1. 74 (Shelley). 



The culmen varies in length from 075 to 1-0. From Capetown 0'75 to 

 0-85 ; Natal 08 to 1-0 ; Mashonaland 0-85. 



The Cape Lesser Double-Collared Sunbird is confined to 

 South Africa, south of the Orange river and the Zambesi. 



