CHALCOMITRA CRUENTATA. 101 



Adult Mala. Blackish brown; -wings and tail coppery brown, with the 

 least series of wing-coverts metallic violet : crown and mustachial-band 

 metallic emerald green ; chin and upper throat black, often with a few 

 metallic green feathers at the base next to the broad breast-plate of bright 

 vermilion feathers, each of which has a narrow subterminal steel blue bar. 

 Total length 5*7 inches, culmen 0-95, wing 2-85, tail 2-2, tarsus 0-7. Bogos 

 (Baler). 



Adult females and young males very similar to those of C. gutturalis, 

 but with less white on the outer wing-coverts, the primary-coverts being 

 uniform brown. 



The Abyssinian Scarlet-chested Sunbird inhabits Shoa and 

 Abyssinia. 



I do not admit G. scioana, Salvad., the Shoa bird, to be 

 distinct from the Abyssinia G. cruentata, Riipp. 



Monsieur Bouvier records the species as occurring in 

 Piaggia's collection from Uganda, but as this is the only 

 indication of the species having been found south of Shoa, it 

 is quite possible that the specimen referred to was procured 

 by Piaggia during his journey to or from Uganda and not in 

 that country. 



An immature specimen of G. gutturalis, collected by Sir 

 John Kirk at Tete on the Zambesi, was referred by accident to 

 this species (Cat. ix. p. 94). 



G. cruentata is evidently plentiful in Shoa, for Antinori and 

 Ragazzi procured twelve specimens there in May, June, July 

 and September. 



Von Heuglin knew of the species from Fasokl, Abyssinia 

 and Bogos, generally to be met with along the water courses, 

 and describes it as active but with a weak flight like that of 

 a Chaffinch, and a pleasing but rather insignificant song. Mr. 

 Blanford found these Sunbirds about Senafe in the higher 

 parts of the pass and along the hill-side of the Anseba valley, 

 but nowhere common. However the species appear to have 

 been met with by all the naturalists who have explored this 

 country. 



