CHALCOMITRA KIRKI. 107 



Chalcomitra kirki. 



Chalcomitra kirki (Shelley), id. B. Afr. I. No. 54 (1896). 



Cinnyris kirki, Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 273, pi. 85 (1876) ; id. P. Z. S. 

 1881, p. 571 Usambara ; Gumey, Ibis, 1881, p. 125 Mombasa; 

 Gadow, Cat. B. M. is. p. 97 (1884) ; Fisch. J. f. 0. 1885, p. 139 

 Mambrui, Gt. Arusha; Shelley, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 228 Kilimanjaro ; 

 id. Ibis, 1888, p. 300, Manda Is.; id. P. Z. S. 1889, p. 366 Kiliman- 

 jaro; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 592 Machako's ; Reichen. J. f. 0. 1891, 

 p. 161, Taboro; id. Vog. Deutsch O. Afr. p. 210 (1894); Kuschel, 

 J. f. 0. 1895, p. 346 (egg) ; Jackson, Ibis, 1898, p. 137 Witu ; Sowerby, 

 t. c. p. 569 Mashona ; Hinde, t. c. p. 579 Machako's. 



Nectarinia kirki, Haiti. Abhandl. Brem. 1891, p. 27 Bagamoyo. 



Chalcomitra kalckreuthi, Cab. J. f. 0. 1878, pp. 205, 227 Ndi, Eitui ; 

 Schal. J. f. 0. 1883, p. 359 Kakoma. 



Nectarinia kalckreuthi, Fisch. J. f. 0. 1878, p. 280 Mombasa. 



Cinnyris kalckreuthi, Fisch. and Beichen. J. f. O. 1879, p. 343 Tshara, 

 Mambrui. 



Adult Male. Similar to C. amethystina, but smaller, with no metallic 

 colour on the upper tail-coverts and with the lesser wing-coverts more lilac. 

 Total length 4-8 inches, culmen 0'95, wing 2-55, tail 1-85, tarsus - 65. S. 

 Zambesia (Bradshaw). 



Adult Female. Similar in plumage to C. crueutata. Total length 4-8 

 inches, culmen 0-8, wing 2-45, tail 165, tarsus 0-65. Pangani (Kirk). 



Kirk's Amethyst Sunbird ranges over Eastern Africa 

 between the Limpopo river and the Equator, eastward of 

 about 30° E. long. The most southern known limit for this 

 species is the Urnfuli river, a tributary of the Limpopo : here 

 Messrs. Jameson and Ayres collected specimens in full 

 plumage in September, and write : " These birds made their 

 appearance much about the same time as G. gutturalis, but 

 by no means so plentifully, feeding together with them on the 

 flowers of the ' German sausage tree.' " In Mashonaland Mr. 

 Sowei^by considered it to be uncommon, as he only saw three 

 or four of them ; but according to Mr. Guy Marshall's 

 observation in the same country, this little species is about as 



