184 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



Key to Ceylon Nectariniinse. 



A. — Bill large, over ' 75 inch* ; males in fuU plumage with 

 metallic and dark hues ; females pale brown above, 

 uniform dingy yellow beneath. 



(1) Bill over 1 inch ; males with snuff -brown abdo- 

 men. 



Arachnechthra lotenia (Lo ten's Sunbird). 



(2) Bill • 8 inch ; males with blue-black abdomen. 

 A. asiatica (Purple Sunbird). 



B. — Bill smaller, '6 inch *; males with brilliant plumage above 

 and on fore -neck and upper breast ; lower breast 

 and abdomen in both sexes yellow. 



(1) Males : upper tail coverts metallic red ; females : 

 uniform pale yellow beneath, rump and upper 

 tail coverts dull red. 



A. minima (Small Sunbird). 



(2) Males : upper tail coverts metallic purple ; 

 females : chin and throat ashy-white ; rest of 

 lower parts bright yellow. 



A. zeylonica ( Purple -rumped Sunbird). 



Abachnechthra lotenia. 

 Loten^s Sunbird. 



Arachnechthra lotenia (Gates, Vol. II., p. 358) i Cinnyris 

 lotenius (Legge, p. 563). 



Description. — Male in fuU plumage : Head, upper plumage, 

 and lesser wing coverts metallic green, changing to lOac 

 according to the angle from which it is viewed ; greater 

 coverts and wings deep brown ; tail black glossed with 

 purple ; chin and throat dviU purple with, in certain lights, 

 a metallic green gloss, which becomes more brilliant on the 

 sides of the neck ; breast a stronger purple ; rest of lower 

 parts snuff brown, separated from the purple of the breast 

 by a band of maroon red ; on each side of the breast a small 

 yellow tuft, at times mixed with orange. 



* I.e., the distance in a straight line from gape to tip. 



