CYANOMITRA OLIVACEA. 123 



" Common in the interior of the island, on the hill-slopes and 

 higher plains, where there are plenty of shrubs. The female 

 is difficult to get. The male clings to the topmost branches, 

 when he gives ont a very pretty note." 



Mr. W. R. Ogilvie Grant kindly informs me that during 

 his visit to the island he met with these Sunbirds generally 

 in pairs ; they were noisy and sprightly in their habits, and 

 fairly abundant from the sea level up to 4,000 feet. He found 

 a nest, from which the young birds had flown, on February 10. 

 It was suspended from a small branch, so hidden by the thick 

 bush and creepers that it was difficult to find. He also met 

 with a family party consisting of the two adults and their 

 three young, which, though well grown and able to fly, were 

 still closely attended by their parents, who showed great 

 concern for the safety of their offspring, at once hurrying 

 them into the thick covert, and then the male appeared at 

 intervals on an elevated position and uttered a shrill, rather 

 harsh alarm note. 



The song of this species is loud, varied, and impressive, 

 and is poured forth from the topmost twig of a bush in a flood 

 of melodious notes. He is a capital mimic, imitating the calls 

 of his neighbours with great accuracy, especially that of 

 Cisticola incana. 



Cyanomitra olivacea. 



Cyanomitra olivacea (Smith), Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 62 (1896) ; id. Ibis, 

 1896, p. 180 Nyasa. 



Cinnyris olivaceus, Shelley, Mon. Neet. p. 289, p. 91 (1876) ; Butler, 

 Feilden and Eeid, Zool. 1882, p. 247; Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 78 

 (1884) ; Fisch. J. f. O. 1885, p. 139 Lindi ; Matsch. J. f. O. 1887, 

 p. 155 Liialaba B. ; Evans, Nature, li. p. 235 ; id. Ibis, 1895, p. 301 

 Natal; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 506 Zululand ; Neumann, J. f. O. 

 1898, p. 229 Zanzibar. 



Nectarinia olivacea, Bohm, J. f. 0. 1883, p. 192 Zanzibar ; Schal. J. f. 0. 

 1887, p. 243 Tanganyika. 



