PROMEROPIDiE. 161 



Since then Dr. Reiclienow has compared specimens of this 

 form collected by Mr. Btittikofer in Liberia, and found them 

 to agree specifically with his Stvpkrornis alboterminata from 

 Camaroons, of which he records the males and females as 

 alike in plumage. From Mr. Biittikofer's examination of the 

 tongue there can be no doubt that it is a Sunbird, and must 

 stand as Anthothreptes gabonica (Hartl.). 



I believe that the specimens described in Cat. B. M. ix. as 

 females of A. rectirostris and A. tephrolasma do not belong to 

 the genus Anthothreptes, but are females of Ginmjris venustus 

 or G. chloropygms, as evidently the " Bill of Anthothreptes 

 rectirostris," figured page 120, is taken from a specimen of one 

 of the latter two species. 



Family II. PROMEROPIDiE. 



Somewhat similar in form and habits to the Nectariniince ; but, nostrils 

 placed in a more elongated groove, bill not serrated, frontal feathers 

 lanceolate, tail extremely long and graduated, of somewhat broad, soft, 

 and lax feathers, no metallic colours, and construct a cup-shaped nest. 



This family is represented by only two very closely allied species, 

 both confined in their range to South Africa, south of the Tropics. 



As the structure of the tongue and internal anatomy is unknown to 

 me, I hesitate to refer the genus Promcrops to either the Nectariniida or 

 the Meliphagida, so place it in a family by itself. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



a. Forehead, crown and front of chest not chestnut . . cafer. 



b. Forehead, crown and front of chest chestnut gumeyi. 



Promerops cafer. 



Promerops cafer (Linn.), Shelley, Mon. Nect. p. 377, pi. 121 (1876) ; 

 Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix. p. 283 (1884) ; Sharpe ed. Layard's B. S. 

 Afr. p. 305 (1884); Kuschel, J. f. 0. 1895, p. 345 (egg) ; Shelley, 

 B. Afr. I. No. 83 (1896) : Stark, Faun. S. Afr. i. p. 269, figs. (1900). 



[March, 1900. 11 



