CHALCOMITRA DEMINUTA. 105 



Nek,' a pass in the Magaliesbergen, about twelve miles from 

 Rustenburg, where there is a good deal of bush and much 

 parasite plant," and further remarks : " This species is common 

 amongst the Magaliesbergen, especially during the winter 

 months, June, July and August, when it is in its brightest 

 plumage." 



Mr. Barratt met with the species between Potchefstroora 

 and Rustenburg, and saw a few in the bush near Pretoria ; 

 he also obtained it at East London in company with G. 

 chalybeus, and found it to be much shyer than that bird. In 

 the Barberton district Dr. P. Rendall procured a specimen in 

 April in the Bonanza Valley. Mr. T. B. Buckley found the 

 species to be abundant in Swaziland, but doubted its crossing 

 the Limpopo into Matabele. Dr. Bradshaw, who made a large 

 collection from north of the Limpopo, never, I believe, procured 

 this species during his journey. 



With regard to the breeding of this Sunbird, Mr. Atmore 

 writes : " The nest is a curious structure, hanging on the 

 branch of an apple-tree, very rough outside, composed of short 

 bits of stick, grass, and spiders'-web, arched, as are the nests 

 of all the tribe. The number of eggs appears to be two, as we 

 did not take these till they were incubated ; before they were 

 blown they were of a soft, creamy yellow colour." 



Chalcomitra deminuta. 



Chalcornitra deminuta, Cab. J. f. 0. 1880, p. 419 Angola; Shelley, B. 



Afr. I. No. 53 (I.e. dimidiata, err. 1896). 

 Nectarinia amethystina (nee Shaw), Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 163 (1877) 



Caconda ; Sousa, Jorn. Lisb. 1888, p. 221 Qidndumbo. 

 Cinnyris amethystina, Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 96 (pt. Zambesi and 



Angola) ; Dubois, Bull. Mus. E. Belg. 1886, p. 148 Tanganyika ; 



Matsch. J. f. O. 1887, p. 155 Lufuha B., Luvide B. 

 Cinnyris bradshawi, Sharpe, Ibis, 1898, p. 137 Witu ; S. of Zambesi 



(Bradshaw). 



