Birds of the Indian Hills 



hen is brown above, with a dull red rump, and 

 yellow below. 



The purple-rumped sunbird (Arachnecthra 

 zeylonica), which is very abundant in and about 

 Madras, does not ascend the Nilgiris above 

 3000 feet. Loten's sunbird (A. lotenia) ventures 

 some^ 2500 feet higher, and has been seen 

 in the vicinity of Coonoor. This species is in 

 colouring almost indistinguishable from the 

 purple sunbird, but its long beak renders it 

 unmistakable. 



THE DICiEID^E OR FLOWER-PECKER 

 FAMILY 



Flower- peckers, like sunbirds, are feathered 

 exquisites. The habits of the two families are 

 very similar, save that flower-peckers dwell 

 among the foliage of trees, while sunbirds, 

 after the manner of butterflies, sip the nectar 

 from flowers that grow near the ground. 



Every hill-garden can boast of one or two 



flower-peckers. These are among the smallest 



birds in existence. They are as restless as 



they are diminutive. So restless are they that 



it is very difficult to follow their movements 



through field-glasses, and they are so tiny that 

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