.NECTARININZ. 135 
rally entire; nostrils basal, usually nearly covered by a scale ; 
wings moderate, more or less rounded ; nine or ten primaries, third 
and fourth longest; wing-coverts short ; tarsus moderate; hind- 
claw equal to, or scarcely longer than, that of the middle-toe. 
Sun-Famity, Nectarinine. 
Bill curved, base: broad; nostril small; tail long; outer-toe 
longer than inner. 
Genus, Arachnothera, Zem. 
Bill very long, moderately curved ; base broad, and somewhat 
three-sided; tip entire ; nostrils small, oval, completely covered by 
a membrane, which only opens by a lateral slit ; wings long; third 
and fourth quill longest; tail short, broad, even; legs large and 
strong ; lateral toes slightly unequal; hind-toe and claw large. 
| Arachnothera longirostra, Lath. 
224.—A. pusilla, Blyth_—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 361; 
Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 389. 
‘THE LITTLE SPIDER-HUNTER, 
Length, 5°75; wing, 2°5; tail, 1°5; tarsus, 0°6; bill at front, 
15 . 
Bill dusky ; irides brown ; legs plumbeous-brown. 
Above, olive-green, more or less fulvescent; the crown darker, 
with scale-like feathers, merely green-edged ; a dark streak from: 
the base of the upper mandible; chin and throat. white ; rest of 
the under parts dull greenish-albescent, passing into bright pale 
yellow on the belly; tail-feathers slightly tipped with whitish, 
chiefly. on their inner webs, forming a spot most distinct out- 
wardly. 
The Little Spider-hunter is very rare; it has been obtained in 
the forests west of Belgaum, but does not occur elsewhere within 
our limits. 
Genus, Asthopyga, Cabanis, 
Bill of moderate length and curvature ; tail graduated, with 
the central tail-feathers much elongated. 
A&thopyga vigorsi, Sykes. 
226.—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 363; Butler, Deccan ; 
Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 390. si : 
THE VIOLET-EARED. RED HoNnrEy SUCKER. 
Male.—Length, 5°5; tail, 2°5. 
Female.—Length, 5 ; tail, 1. 
Bill black ; irides brown. 
Head metallic green ; nape, neck above, shoulders, and scapu- 
lars, deep sanguineous; lower part of back sulphur-yellow ; upper 
tail-coverts, middle tail-feathers, and outer webs of all the others. 
