NEOTARININ.E. 137 



'Major Butler says : " Permanent resident on the Ghats. Com- 

 mon, as a rule, all along the Sahyadri Range from Goa to Khandalla, 

 extending often to the adjacent forests." He also obtained a 

 specimen or two at Belgaum, where, however, it is only a rare 

 seasonal visitant. 



It has not been recorded from elsewhere within our limits, 



Cinnyris asiatica, Lath. 



234. Arachnechthra asiatica, Lath. Jerdon's Birds of India, 

 Vol. I, p. 370 ; Butler, Deccan ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 390 ; 

 Guzerat, Stray Feathers, Vol. Ill, p. 462 ; Murray's Vertebrate * 

 Zoology of Sind, p. 119 ; Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India ; 

 Ibis, 1885, p. 64. 



THE PURPLE HONEY SUCKER. 



Length, 4'5 ; wing, 2'3 ; tail, To ; tarsus, 0'6 ; bill at front, 

 075. 



Bill and legs black ; irides red-brown. In summer, breeding 

 plumage this species has the whole head, neck, throat, breast, and 

 back glossy green-purple ; the abdomen purplish-black ; wings 

 and tail dull black, the latter faintly white-tipped; a tuft of 

 crimson and yellow feathers at the axillse of the wings. 



After breeding, the fine purple garb is doffed, all except a long 

 stripe from the chin to the vent. 



The young bird has the upper parts dull olive-green ; beneath 

 bright yellow ; shoulders and central stripe beneath brilliant 

 glossy-violet ; wings and tail dusky or black. 



< The female is greenish brown-grey above, greenish-yellow 

 beneath, deepest on the throat and breast, and lighter on the vent 

 and under tail-coverts ; quills dusky ; tail black* 



The Purple Honey Sucker is very common throughout the region 

 and is a permanent resident. 



It breeds from March to September, but most nests are found 

 in April and May ; the nest is pendant, and resembles a florence- 

 flask in shape ; it is attached to a twig, and all sorts of material 

 are made use of in its construction, fine grass, lichens, cobwebs, 

 pieces of straw, dead flowers, and leaves, &c. The entrance is 

 high up on one side, and has a projection or canopy over it to 

 keep out the rain, 



The eggs, two or three in number, are dingy little ovals, of a 

 whitish ground color, thickly speckled with brown and greyish- 

 brown. They measure 0'64 in length by about 0'46 in breadth. 



Cinnyrisjotenja, Lin. 



205. Arachnecthra lotenia, Lin. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, 

 : p. 372 ; Butler, Deccan Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 390. 



THE^ LARGE PURPLE HONEY SUCKER. 

 Length, 5'^ffwmg, 2 '3 ; tail, 1'6 ; tarsus, 0*6 ; bill at front, 1. 

 Bill and legs black ; irides dark brown. 



