NECTARINIIDJ3 ANTHOBAPHES 293 



At Pinetown, in Natal, it breeds in November. The domed 

 and pear-shaped nest is constructed of fine fibres, dry grass, and 

 cobwebs, lined with feathers, and is hung from one of the outer 

 twigs of a bush or low tree. The eggs, two in number, are light 

 brown mottled with dark brown and purple. They measure 0*70 

 X 0-50. 



ft** 

 Genus III. ANTHOBAPHES. 



Type. 



Anthobaphes, Cabanis, Mus. Rein, i, p. 103 (1850) A. violacea. 



Bill longer than the head, the culmen rounded and curved 

 downward ; nostrils with an operculum, basal, exposed, without 

 nasal bristles. Wing : the first primary short, the wing-tip formed 

 by the third, fourth and fifth. Tail graduated or wedge shaped, 

 the two centre feathers prolonged beyond the others ; the tail in 

 the female shorter and less graduated. Tarsus scutellated an- 

 teriorly. Plumage : the adult male with the head and fore part of 

 the body richly metallic, and with yellow pectoral tufts ; the female 

 of very plain colours. One species only of this genus is known 

 whose range is confined to Cape Colony. 



170. Anthobaphes violacea. Orange-breasted Sunbird. 



Certhia violacea, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i, p. 188 (1766). 



Le sucrier orange, Levaillant, Ois. d'Afr. vi, p. 152, pi. 292, figs. 1 and 2 



(1808). 

 Nectarinia violacea, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 78 (1867) ; Holub and 



Pelzeln, Orn. Sildafr. p. 73 (1882). 

 Anthobaphes violacea, Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 74 



(1872) ; Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyrida;, p. 23, pi. 8 (1877) ; id. B. 



Afr. i, p. 6 (1896) ; Gadoiv, Cat. B. M. ix, p. 11 (1884) ; Sharpe, ed. 



Layard' s B. 8. Afr. p. 308 (1884). 



Description. Adult male. Head, neck, upper back, least wing- 

 coverts, and throat brilliant metallic-green with violet reflections, 

 merging into metallic violet-purple on the chest ; the bases of the 

 feathers unglossed dark slate-colour ; spot before eye and chin 

 black ; lower back and upper tail-coverts olive-yellow ; wing and 

 tail-feathers brown edged externally with olive-yellow ; lower breast, 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts orange-yellow, the breast tinged 

 with red, the flanks with olive ; thighs brown ; under wing-coverts 

 light brown ; pectoral tufts bright yellow. 



