214 CEYLON OR YELLOW-BELLIED SUN-BIRD. 



name of C. sola, says it is " more abundant in the 

 Carnatic than in any other part of the peninsula, 

 and to be seen in almost every garden. 



The length of our specimens are about four 

 inches and a quarter. The crown of the head, 

 above the eyes, extending to the occiput, is a dark 

 and deep olive with green and purple reflections ; 

 the chin, throat, and fore parts of the neck, rich 

 violet or amethystine purple, changing with the 

 light ; these form the coronal and gular patches of 

 scale-like feathers. The sides of the neck, back, 

 scapulars, and a band across the upper parts of the 

 breast, of a rich purplish brown (maroon red) ; the 

 lesser wing-covers similar in tint to the head, but 

 having a greater tinge of purple ; lower parts of the 

 back and upper tail-covers rich amethystine purple; 

 wings umber-brown, edges of the feathers paler ; 

 tail nearly black, the exterior feathers with very pale 

 greyish tips, on the outer one extending for nearly 

 a quarter of an inch ; the breast and belly king's- 

 yellow, becoming paler on the flanks and under tail- 

 covers. 



Mr. Jerdon, who is an accurate observer, thus 

 describes the female, " olive-green above, beneath 

 yellow, chin and throat white, wings and tail as in 

 the male." 



In the collection of Hugh Strickland, Esq. there 



are specimens apparently a variety of this species, 



having the coronal patch violet, the gular patch 



. nearly steel-blue, agreeing somewhat with that placed 



by Dr. Latham as his Yar. 1. 



