CINNYRIS CHALYBEUS. 77 



It is the commonest and most generally distributed of the 

 South African Sunbirds, yet it is in a manner local, being in 

 certain spots partially replaced by G. afer, from which it differs 

 somewhat in its habits, preferring the open country, where 

 the low scattered bushes and tufts of grass afford a shelter 

 more congenial to its tastes than the woodland country. 



Of its occurrence in the western districts Mr. Andersson 

 writes : " I do not recollect having observed this bird north 

 of the Orange river ; but I have not unfrequently met with 

 it in Little Namaqua Land, and I am informed by Mr. Layard 

 that it was brought by Mr. Chapman from the Lake-regions." 

 It is improbable that Mr. Chapman really procured it in the 

 Lake Ngami districts, as he does not mention it in his book of 

 " Travels in South Africa," and any specimen in his collection 

 not recorded in that work was more probably obtained near 

 Cape Town. 



I found it very abundant at Cape Town, Ceres and Mossel 

 Bay, Mr. Atmore has sent it from George, and in the Knysna 

 district both Victorin and Andersson have procured it. Mr. 

 Rickards collected specimens at Port Elizabeth and East 

 London. 



To the eastward of Cape Colony in Natal I found it fairly 

 plentiful, both at Durban and Pinetown. Messrs. Butler, 

 Feilden and Reid write : " Very common in the Drakensberg 

 near Newcastle, where we obtained examples in mid winter 

 (May and June) and where it breeds. Seen in small flocks, 

 or rather assemblies, on flowering trees in the ' Town Bush ' 

 at Maritzburg on August 31." 



Mr. Ayres observed them most abundant in Natal in July 

 and August, when the peach-trees were in full blossom. He 

 says their song is very sweet though not loud. In the 

 Leydenburg district he found them " plentiful in the spring 

 and early autumn, when they congregate on the blossoming 



