140 ANTHOTHREPTES. 



Females often with metallic colours ; less often they are like their males 

 in plumage, and the nestlings of A. collaris and A. hypodila, unlike any other 

 species of Sunbird known to me, have a metallic green colouring like the 

 adult females. 



All the members of this genus, once they have assumed the full plumage, 

 apparently never discard their bright colours. 



The range of the genus extends over Southern and Tropical Africa, and 

 through Southern Asia to the Philippines, Borneo and Celebes. 



In Africa it is represented by eleven known species, all of which are 

 confined to the Ethiopian region. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



a. Mostly olive ; bright scarlet pectoral-tufts in 



adult males. 

 ft 1 . Head and neck olive like remainder of jfraseri, $ % . 



plumage I idia (Liberia). 



b 1 . Upper half of head and neck ashy grey 



fading into white on the throat .... axillaris, $ ? . 



b. Upper tail-coverts metallic violet ; chest white. 

 c 1 . Upper parts and upper throat metallic 



violet. f 



ft 2 . Least series of wing-coverts mostly 

 metallic violet ; no patch of green on 

 lower back ; no pale edges to any of the 

 tail-feathers longnemarii, 3 . 



b 2 . Least series of wing-coverts mostly 

 metallic green ; a distinct patch of 

 metallic green feathers on the lower 

 back ; several of the outer tail-feathers 



with partial whitish edges oricntalis, 3 ■ 



d 1 . Crown and mantle brown ; throat and 

 eyebrows white. 



c 2 . No pale edges to the tail-feathers ; 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts pale 

 yellow ; rump more lilac longnemarii, ? . 



d 2 . Partial pale edges to several of the outer 

 tail-feathers ; abdomen and under tail- 

 coverts white like the chest ; rump bluer orientalis, ? . 



c. Upper parts metallic green shaded with blue. 

 c 1 . Throat metallic bluish green ; breast buff 



with orange pectoral-tufts aurantia, $ ad. 



