PASSERINE BIEDS OF CEYLON. 187 



buds, empty chrysalis cases, scraps of dead twigs, &c., the 

 interior is lined with soft vegetable down ; the entrance 

 is at one side, and is protected by a neat little eave. There 

 are generally two eggs. These are typically a little less 

 elongated than those of the last species. The ground colour 

 is generally brownish -w^hite, evenly marked all over with 

 fine streaky spots of brown; zonally marked specimens are 

 by no means rare. Average size '67 by "47. 



Arachnechthra minima. 

 The Small Sunhird. 



Arachnechthra minima (Gates, Vol. II., p. 363) ; Cinnyris 

 minimus (Legge, p. 572). 



Description. — Male in full plumage : Forehead and crown 

 metallic green ; lores, cheeks, and ear coverts black ; back 

 and scapulars crimson ; rump and upper tail coverts bright 

 metallic red with a lilac gloss ; lesser and median wing coverts 

 black with crimson tips ; greater coverts and quills dull black ; 

 chin and throat metallic lilac ; upper breast and sides of neck 

 crimson ; rest of lower parts pale yellow, separated from the 

 crimson chest by a band of black ; pectoral tufts sulphur 

 yellow. 



Females : Head, hind-neck, back, and scapulars olive- 

 green ; rump and upper tail coverts duU red ; tail feathers 

 dark brown with rufous edges ; wings brown with olive-green 

 edges to the feathers ; lower plumage pale yellow. 



After the autumn moult males resemble females, but retain 

 the lilac rump and a little red on the shoulder of the wing. 



Bill, legs, and feet black ; iris dark brown. 



Length about 3*75 ; wing 1*9 ; tail 1-3 ; tarsus '6 ; bill 

 from gape ' 6. 



Distribution. — ^The inclusion of this bird in the Ceylon 

 list rests on the records of Layard and Holdsworth, the former 

 of whom recorded it from the north of the Jaffna peninsula, 

 while the latter stated that it is occasionally seen near Colombo. 

 It may be looked for in the extreme north of the Island. 

 In India it is found on the west of the peninsula, from about 

 Bombay to Cape Comorin. 



