CHALCOMITRA GUTTARALIS. 99 



at Quilimane in January, at the Rufu river and in Usegua in 

 September and on Zanzibar island in October and November. 

 I have been given specimens by the late Mr. Joseph Thomson 

 from the Rovuma river and by Sir John Kirk from Dar-es- 

 Salam and the Usambara country. 



That the species ranges right across the Continent there 

 can be no doubt, for Dr. Bokm met with them throughout his 

 travels in about 6° S. lat. from Zanzibar to the banks of the 

 Lualaba to the west of Lake Tanjanyika, and collected speci- 

 mens at the Luvule river, just north of Lake Moero, in October 

 and at Qua Mpara in March, when he observed the young 

 birds just able to fly. 



To the east of Lake Tanjanyika he increased his collection 

 of this species at Kakoma, Ugalla river, Gondar close to 

 Tabora, at Simbaveni in August and at Konko in Ugogo in 

 September. Dr. Fischer also found the species abundant in 

 the coast district and in Masailand, often frequenting the 

 orange and banana groves planted by the natives near their 

 huts, and adds the following localities to its range : Maurui on 

 the Pangani, Arusha, Kagehi, Larnu, Wapokomoland on the 

 left bank of the Tana river and Barawa on the Somali coast 

 (1° N. lat.), the furthest northern limit yet known for this 

 Sunbird. 



With regard to the breeding of this species, the nests found 

 by Mr. Ayres were generally hung " on the outermost twigs of 

 trees, at no great height from the earth and very frequently 

 over water." 



Captain Sperling describes the nest as "hanging from a 

 twig about six feet from the ground ; it was kidney-shaped, 

 with the two lobes downwards and the circular entrance 

 opening from the bottom of one lobe ; the material of which 

 it was built was dry, hay-like fibres and grass intricately 

 interwoven." 



