'90 OLIVE-BACKED SUN-BIRD. 



tufts of primrose-yellow. The bird which we re- 

 ceived in the same collection from Sierra Leone as 

 the female, is, as we stated, about five inches and 

 a quarter in length, and it agrees in plumage with 

 the description of Vieillot's " Soui-manga vert et 

 yris." The crown, nape, cheeks, and sides of the 

 neck are of the same rich bluish green seen in the 

 male, the back and wings are also similar in tint, 

 but the whole chin and under parts are of a uniform 

 greyish white, paler on the vent, and there tinted 

 with yellowish oil-green. We have little doubt of 

 this being the female ; there is no trace of imma- 

 turity in the specimen. 



We have also, among the African forms of even- 

 tailed Sun-birds, species of uncommon brilliancy of 

 colouring ; and which, as in the Humming-birds of 

 the New World, possess a coronal and gular patch 

 of resplendent scale-like feathers. Examples of 

 these will be seen in some of our next plates. 



