136 NECTARININ^. 



(except the outermost pair), metallic-green ; throat, neck, and 

 breast, scarlet ; a stripe on each side from the chin to the breast, 

 shining violet ; ear-spot also violet ; wings, lateral tail-feathers, 

 sides of the lower part of the back, and a band below the breast, 

 dusky ; abdomen grey. 



The female is greenish-olive above; wings and tail darker, 

 lighter beneath. 



The Violet-eared Red Honey Sucker only occurs within our 

 limits on the Sahyadri Range and in the adjacent forests as far 

 north as Khandalla, where it is a not uncommon permanent 

 resident. 



GENUS, Leptocoma (CINNYRIS) Cabanis. 

 Tail square or nearly so ; bill moderately curved, most of 

 small size. 



Cinnyris zeylonica, Lin. 



232. Leptocoma zeylonica, Lin. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, 

 p. 368 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 390. 



THE AMETHYST-BUMPED HONEY SUCKER. 



Length, 4'5 ; wing, 2'2 ; tail, 1'5 ; bill in front, 0'63. 



Irides bright ruby-red ; bill and legs black. 



Head above and angle of the wing jbright metallic glossy-green ; 

 back, scapulars and wing-coverts, deep maroon-red ; wings dusky- 

 brown, the quill edged with cinnamon-brown ; tail black ; throat, 

 neck, rump, and upper tail-coverts fine metallic amethystine -pur- 

 ple ; the rest of the body beneath yellow, divided from the 

 amethyst of the neck by a narrow maroon bar. 



The female is dull green above, with a slight tinge of rufous ; 

 the quills edged with pale brown ; the tail dusky-black ; under 

 parts pale yellow, albescent on throat and foreneck. 



Young males resemble the females, but have the throat more 

 yellow. 



The Amethyst-rumped Honey Sucker is a permanent resident 

 in the Deccan, where it is not uncommon ; it does not occur else- 

 where within our region. 



Cinnyris minima, SyJses. 



233. Leptocoma minima, Sykes. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, 

 p. 369 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 380. 



THE TINY HONEY SUCKER. 



Length, 3*5 to 3'75 ; expanse, 5'25 to 575 ; wing, 1-8 ; tail, 1 to 

 1-2 ; tarsus, 0'5 ; bill at front, 0'65. 



Head and nape fine metallic-green ; back, scapulars, and wing- 

 coverts, rich bright sanguine-red ; rump the same, but with a fine 

 violet or amethystine gloss ; wings and tail dusky-brown ; throat 

 'and neck fine amethystine ; the rest of the lower parts yellow. 

 The female is olive brown above, with a red rump, and pale 

 beneath, - - 



