CINNYRIS. 231 



Head above and lesser wing coverts bright metallic glossy purplish green ; 

 upper back, scapulars and median wing coverts maroon brown ; lower back 

 and upper tail coverts metallic lilac, shaded with blue ; tail brownish black, 

 the outer feathers paler at the tips, the rest very slightly edged with 

 metallic violet ; remainder of the wing dark brown ; the greater coverts and 

 quills edged with rufous brown ; cheeks and ear coverts deep coppery brown, 

 shading into dull brown behind the ear coverts ; under surface of the body 

 sulphur yellow ; chin and throat metallic lilac ; sides of the neck and a pec- 

 toral collar maroon brown like the back ; sides of the body and under wing 

 coverts white. Bill and legs black ; irides reddish brown. 



Length. 4*1 to 4*5 inches ; wing 2*25 ; tail 1*4$ ; tarsus 075 ; culmen 0-65. 



The adult female is ashy olive brown above ; tail black, broadly tipped with 

 white ; crown ashy grey ; foreneck silky white ; a white eyebrow and a dark 

 streak through the eye ; chest and centre of abdomen sulphur yellow ; under 

 tail coverts paler yellow. 



Length. 3*6 to 3*9; wing 2' I. 



Hab. Ceylon, the Indian Peninsula and Assam ; not found in Sind and 

 theN.-W. Provinces of India, otherwise it is generally spread throughout India, 

 from the extreme south to Bengal, extends through Dacca into Assam. 

 Abundant in Madras, Malabar, Mysore, Coorg, Pondicherry, the Carnatic, 

 Deccan, Singbhoom, Maunbhoon, Kamptee, Sumbulpoor and Khasia hills. 

 Seen in every garden flying from flower to flower. The species has not much 

 of a note. Blyth describes it as having a weak shrill chant followed by fre- 

 quent low chirps analogous to that of Certhiafamiliaris. In Calcutta, as well 

 as in Madras, many are taken daily with birdlime for sale. It is said to lay at 

 least twice a year, in February and August, and sometimes in December. The 

 breeding season, Hume says, is variable. The nests are generally attached 

 to the terminal twigs of branches, from 10 to 30 feet from the ground. In 

 shape they are purse-like, with the aperture near the top. According to Mr. 

 Morgan, the bird often selects a cobweb in which to build its nest, and this is 

 so ingeniously built, that it is impossible to detect the existence of the nest 

 unless the cobweb is examined. An average-sized nest is about 5-6 inches in 

 length and about 3 in. diameter. It is composed of very fine grass or vegetable 

 fibre, and the inner or egg chamber is lined with feathers or vegetable down, 

 while the exterior is ornamented with flower buds, lichen, &c. Eggs, two in 

 number ; in shape and size quite like those of C. asiatica. Hume describes them 

 as moderately broad ovals, a good deal elongated and usually pointed towards 

 one end ; the shell is delicate and close grained and almost devoid of gloss ; 

 the ground colour varies considerably ; in some it is nearly pure white, but 

 generally it is a dingy greenish or brownish white, much freckled, clouded and 

 streaked with minute greyish brown or brown markings, which commonly form 

 an irregular zone round the larger end, and sometimes a confluent cap. In 



