236 Mr. R. Swinhoe on the Ornithology of Hainan. 



38. tEthopyga CHRISTINA, Swiiih., Ann. & Mag. N. H. 

 4th ser. iv. p. 436 : Walden, supra, p. 36, PI. I. fig. 1. 



On the 18th of February, at Shuy-wei-sze (Central Hainan), 

 I fired at a dark-looking Sun-bird, moving rapidly about the 

 twigs of a tree, and picked up this lovely species. The same 

 place rew^arded me on mj'^ return visit with a second specimen. 

 I only saw it once again; and that was on the 23rd of February, 

 near Lingmun, my furthest point among the mountains of the 

 interior. We were away over the hills on a visit to a Le tribe, 

 who were cultivating a few small patches of ground by a stream 

 on a hill-slope. Their dirty huts were few in number, gathered 

 together on a terrace about a majestic wild fig-tree. In rear 

 and by the side of the huts w^ere a few bushes and smaller trees. 

 On an exposed branch of one of the latter, a little JEthopyga 

 stood forth, and, contrary to the usual saying that birds of 

 beauty have no voice, delivered a charming little short song, 

 which it repeated at intervals. I sought in vain for the female. 

 I did not meet with the species again in Hainan. 



I repeat with some alterations my description of the male : 

 — Crown of the head and back of the neck deep purplish black, 

 with dark green and coppery reflections. Sides of the face and 

 neck and the back the same, without reflections. Throat and 

 breast rich maroon-red, the former flanked along the maxillce 

 with a line of dark roundish feathers shot with steel-blue, 

 green, and purple. Scapulars rich brownish-olive, the same 

 colour tinging the black of the back, and becoming greener as 

 it broadly edges the wing-coverts and secondary quills. Feathers 

 of the wing hair-brown, the primaries only slightly edged with 

 olive. Rump canary-yellow. Upper tail-coverts, two central 

 tail-feathers, and outer edge (more or less) of all bvit the outer 

 feather glossy metallic dark green ; underpart of central rec- 

 trices, and the main portions of all the others black, the three 

 outer ones being tipped with white, increasing in extent to the 

 outer feather. Below the maroon, the breast is crossed by a band 

 of olive-green, fading into the dingy yellowish-white of the under- 

 parts. Axillaries white, with a primrose wash ; inner edges to 

 quills creamy-white. Tail of twelve graduated feathers, the two 

 middle ones with elongated tips. Bill blackish brown, paler on the 



