ANTITOTHREPTES. 365 



at Dacca, and it has been obtained in the Khasi hills. This latter 

 locality was probably Jerdon's warrant for stating that this Sun- 

 bird extended to Assam. This species is found up to 2500 feet in 

 the Nilgiris. 



Habits, fyc. Breeds in almost every month of the year according 

 to locality, making a nest of the usual type with a portico over the 

 entrance. The eggs, two in number, resemble those of A. asiatica 

 and measure about -65 by -47. 



Genus ANTHOTHREPTES, Swains., 1831. 



The genus Anthothreptes contains a few Sun-birds which are 

 closely allied to Arachnechthra in structure. In Anthothreptes, 

 however, the bill is deeper, and the lower mandible is straight or 

 nearly so instead of being well curved downwards. The sexes 

 are structurally the same, but differ in colour. 



The birds of this genus appear to make nests dissimilar to those 

 of the genus Arachnechthra. That of A. malaccensis is described as 

 being oval in shape, with a hole on one side near the top, and con- 

 structed of cocoanut-fibres &c. This nest, as figured in Shelley's 

 Monograph, is attached directly to a branch, and has none of the 

 cord-like connection between the nest and the point of attachment 

 so usual in the nests of the other Sun-birds. 



Kejf to the Species. 



a. Lower plumage streaked A. hypogrammica, p. 365. 



b. Lower plumage plain. 



a'. Whole upper plumage dark metallic. 



a". Sides of head greenish yellow. ... A. malaccensis <?, p. 366. 



b". Sides of head rufous A. rkodoleema 3 , p. 367. 



b'. Whole, or nearly whole, of the upper 



plumage plain green, 

 c". Front of crown metallic dark 



green A. simplex $ , p. 367. 



d". Front of crown plain green like 



remainder of upper plumage. , A malaccmsh % p . m 



"'. Bill from gape '8 \ A rhodolama $ , p. 367. 



I/". Bill from gape -7 A. simplex $, p. 367. 



902. Anthothreptes hypogrammica. The Banded Sun-bird. 



Nectariiiiahypogrammica, S. Mull. Vei-hand. Nat. Gesch., Zool. Aves, 



p. 63 (1843) ; Blylh, Cat. p. 225. 

 Anthreptes hypogrammica (S. Mull.), Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 738 ; 



Shelley, Mm. Nect. pp. xliii, xliv, 305, pi. 98 ; Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi, 



p. 178 ; Hume, Cat. no. 233 quint. ; Oates, B. B. i, p. 323. 

 Anthothreptes hypogrammica (S. Mull.), Gadow, Cat. B. M. ix, 



p. 112. 



