206 



THE GOALPOEAH SUN-BIED. 



The GoALPOEAH SUN-BIED {Nectarinia Goalpariensis) is also worthy of a passing 

 notice. 



This beautiful species is an inhabitant of several pai'ts of Asia, and is rather plentiful 

 in and about Nepal. In dimensions it is equal to the preceding species, the adult male 

 measuring about five and a half inches in length. The nest is beautifully constructed, 

 and is of the pendulous order. The food of this bird consists chiefly of minute insects, 

 spiders, and various larvse, chiefly those of flies. It lives mostly in the depths of the 



densest forests, where it may be 

 found in tolerable numbers by 

 those who choose to take the 

 trouble to search after it. 



In the plumage of this pretty 

 bird, red is the prevailing colour. 

 The crown of the head is rich 

 golden green, and the nape of the 

 neck, the breast, and scapulse are 

 of a dazzlingly brilliant scarlet. 

 The long central tail-feathers are 

 of a rich green, and when closed, 

 as is the case while the bird is at 

 rest, completely conceal the bright 

 yellow tint of the feathers below. 

 The remainder of the tail is 

 brownish black, and all the plu- 

 mage of the lower part of the 

 back is loose and downy in its 

 structure. 



Some of the tribes of the Sun- 

 birds, and their behaviour when 

 in captivity, are well recorded in 

 the following description of some 

 tame Sun-birds, by Captain Boys, 

 quoted in Gould's " Birds of Asia." 

 The species which is described is 

 another Indian species, the Asiatic 

 Sun-bird {Nectarinia Asidtwa), 

 called by the natives " Shukur- 

 khor," or sugar-eater : — 



" In 1829 I slightly wounded a 



male in the bastard wing, secured 



and brought it home. By some 



neglect it was unthought of for 



four days, when, on looking into 



the bag in which it had been 



placed, I found that it Avas not 



only alive, but that the wing had 



completely cicatrised : I should 



observe, however, that the broken 



part of the wing had been taken off 



with a pair of scissors immediately 



after the bird was brought home. 



I placed it in a cage, and succeeded in keeping it alive for several weeks by feeding it on 



sugar and water, of which it took gi-eat quantities, but, owing perhaps to a M'ant of variety 



in its food, it became thinner and thinner until it died. During its captivity it was very 



sprightly, and from the first day readily fed itself by dipping its tongue into the dish of 



syrup with which it was supplied." 



■7^0- 



C0LL.\RED SVN-BIRD.— Nectarinia chalyieia. 

 JAVANESE SUN-BIRD.— iVcrtarima Javdnica. 



