Malayan Ornithology. 503 



to tree they dodged about among the clusters of cocoa-nuts^ 

 at one moment hanging head downwards, searching among 

 the leaves and stalks for flies, spiders, and other small game, 

 the next, hovering with quickly fluttering wings to pick out 

 of its hiding-place some insect not otherwise to be got at. 

 The male has a shrill piping note, and is far the most beauti- 

 ful of the sexes, the female being dull-coloured and without 

 the rich metallic markings. During August I noticed that 

 the young were in great numbers, and saw some being fed 

 by the parent birds ; but even without that proof of their 

 youth, they can be distinguished by their dingy plumage, and 

 by the males having but faint signs of the metallic colouring 

 of the mature bird. Their irides are smoky brown. 



Of course, at a little distance, it is impossible to tell the 

 immature birds from mature females. 



In my note-book I find : — 



" Singapore, 23rd Sept. 1879. With K and R 



I went by steam-launch to Tanjong Katong, where we spent 

 the morning among the cocoa-nut trees collecting Honey- 

 suckers. The more common kinds, C. insignis, A, malaccensis, 

 and C.pectoralis, were plentiful enough ; but nowhere could I 

 see one of the bright scarlet species, ^. siparaja, which 



K shot near Bukit Timah last month ; apparently it is 



rare. 



"I shot several females of C. insignis, very unlike their 

 handsome mates ; they were 4f inches in length, bill at front 

 7^ ; head and upper parts dull grey, tinged on the back and 

 wings with yellowish green ; tail deep steel-blue, tipped with 

 white ; abdomen pale yellow.^' 



Again : — 



" Changie, Singapore, 8th Jan. 1877. Today I shot a 

 most beautiful Honey-sucker, C. insignis ; three of them, 

 apparently a male and two females, were sitting on a dead 

 bough, spreading out their wings, preening their feathers, 

 and most thoroughly enjoying the morning sun. I shot the 

 male ; but he fell into the thick jungle, and, being such a tiny 

 bird, it was a long time before I could find him." 



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