VIOLET-HEADED SUN-BIRD. 



Nectarinia violacea, LINXJEUS. 



PLATE XVI. 



THIS bird, a native of Southern Africa, has, in tli6 

 adult males, the head, sides of the neck, and chin, 

 with the upper part of the back and bend of the 

 wings, dark golden-green varied with purple and 

 bronzed reflections ; on the upper part of the back 

 the base of the feathers are olive, and are seen 

 mixed with the dark and shining tint; the back 

 and remaining upper parts, with the edges of the 

 wings and tail-feathers, are yellowish oil-green ; the 

 quills and tail pale umber-brown. On the centre 

 of the breast and running round on each side the 

 green colour of the neck, is a patch of brilliant 

 violet-purple stretching up upon the throat and 

 nearly bordering the lower part of the breast in a 

 narrow crescent. The lower part and centre of the 

 breast is deep reddish-orange, shading into gamboge- 

 yellow on the flanks and under tail-covers. In the 

 axillao we have the king's-yellow tufts. The ex- 

 treme length is nearly six inches. 



According to Le Yaillant, the female is rather 

 smaller in size, and is of a uniform olive-green, 



