CINNYRIS VIOLACEOUS. 87 



green of the throat passes into lilac and then into steel blue towards its base. 

 Breast yellow, strongly washed with orange on the front of the chest and 

 tail-coverts, and shades into olive yellow on the flanks ; pectoral-tufts bright 

 yellow. Total length 6'5 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 2 - 3, tarsus 0'7. Cape 

 (Brit. Mus.). 



Adult Female. Olive, with an ashy shade beneath, and washed with 

 yellow down the centre of the breast and on the under tail-coverts. Total 

 length 5 inches, culmen 085, wing 2, tail 2-2, tarsus 065. Cape (Brit. 

 Mus.). 



The Cape Wedge-tailed Sunbird is probably confined to the 

 western portion of Cape Colony south of the Orange river and 

 west of the Gauritz river, which separates the provinces of 

 Swellendam from George. 



It is equally improbable that Mr. Layard ever saw this 

 species at Cape Delgado, as that the specimens said to have 

 been in Mr. Chapman's collection came from the Lake Ngami 

 district. 



Mr. Andersson writes : " I have found this species pretty 

 abundant in Little Namaqualand ; but to the best of my 

 knowledge it is not an inhabitant of Great Namaqua or Damara- 

 land, though Mr. Layard informs us that Mr. Chapman 

 brought specimens from the Lake country. It is found singly 

 and in pairs, often also in flocks, frequenting the slopes of 

 hills and mountains, whence it descends to the low grounds, 

 but only during the flowering-season of the garden plants and 

 trees, amongst which it is especially fond of the sweet-scented 

 orange blossom. With the exception of such excursions, it 

 is not migratory. The male bird has a brisk pleasant song." 



Mr. Layard found these Sunbirds plentiful on the top and 

 about the sides of Table Mountain, and also abundant in the 

 Knysna district among the uncultivated hill sides, away from 

 timber. 



Mr. A. C. Stark has kindly sent me the following note: 

 "Breeds in western Cape Colony in June and July — mid- 

 winter — even on the higher mountains, sometimes a second 



