106 CHALCOMTTRA DEMINUTA. 



Adults. Similar to C. amethystina but smaller, browner and with a 

 much shorter bill. Total length 5 6 inches, culmen 09, wing 2-8, tail 2-2, 

 tarsus 0-65. Caconda (Anehieta). 



Adult females and young males are similar in plumage to those of 

 C. amethystina. 



The Little Amethyst Sunbird inhabits South Tropical 

 Africa between about 2° to 20° S. lat., ranging from north of 

 the Limpopo or Orange rivers through Benguela, Angola and 

 Central Africa to Witu near the mouth of the Tana river. 



The late Dr. Bradshaw during his collecting tour between 

 the Orange river and Mashonaland procured a full plumaged 

 male which I refer to the present species, the type of which 

 was discovered by Schiitt in Angola. Anehieta collected 

 specimens in Benguela at Caconda and Quindumbo, and to 

 this species, no doubt, belong the specimens referred to G. 

 amethystina which were brought to Europe by Captain Storms 

 from his journey to Lake Tanjanyika, and those by Bohm 

 from the Lufuka and Luvule rivers to the west of that 

 lake. 



It is curious not to find the species recorded from German 

 East Africa, for the type of Ginnyris bradshawi, which I do 

 not consider should be separated from G. deminuta, was obtained 

 by Mr. Jackson at Witu on June 16, 1891. and it is worthy of 

 notice that he also procured a full plumaged male of G. hirki 

 at the same place a few days previously, on March 4. 



The two specimens referred to G. bradshawi by Dr. R. B. 

 Sharpe are too widely separated geographically to belong to a 

 species distinct from both G. deminuta and C. hirki, the ranges 

 of which would closely flank on each side that of G. bradshawi. 



If I am wrong in referring G. bradshaioi to G. deminuta, the 

 only other alternative would be to consider the two specimens 

 referred to G. bradshawi as abnormal varieties of G. hirki, 

 tending to revert to the G. amethystina form. 



