THE WORLD'S BIRDS. 115 



Sun-birds (Nectariniince), ranging through Africa 

 and Southern Asia to Australia, are for the most part 

 small but very beautiful birds, the males with highly 

 glossy metallic plumage, and with slender, usually 

 curved bills, haunting flowers for food, which con- 

 sists of honey and insects. Their bills are minutely 

 serrated along the edge, though a hand-lens is needed 

 to see this properly. They are often confused with the 

 Humming-birds of America, but these have very short 

 legs and feed on the wing, while the Sun- birds have 

 legs of ordinary length and hop. They used to be con- 

 fused with the Creepers, but have not their shape of 

 foot. The nest is usually hanging and roofed, with an 

 entrance-hole at the side. 



These are often familiar garden birds ; two Indian 

 species are very well known in this way ; the Purple 

 (Arachnecthra asiatica), dark metallic purple, with 

 flame-coloured tufts in the armpits, and the Amethyst- 

 rumped (A. zeylonica), purple, green and crimson above 

 and yellow below. The females of both are dull green, 

 and the male of the former assumes this colour after 

 the breeding season. He sings well. Both these species, 

 which are about as big as Wrens, have been kept alive 

 in England, and so has the African Malachite Sun- 

 bird (Nectarinia famosa), as big as a Linnet, glittering 

 green, with long centre tail-feathers. 



Swallows (Hirundinince) are spread nearly all 

 over the world, but none permanently inhabit New 

 Zealand, though stragglers from Australia have occurred 

 there. Their exceedingly small bills and feet and 

 remarkable length of wing prevent confusion with 

 any other Passerine birds. They are often con- 

 founded with the non-Passerine Swifts (Cypselidce), 

 which are similar in form and habit, but the large hind- 

 toe and coarsely-scaled shank of the Swallow, with its 

 twelve tail-feathers against the Swift's ten, will differen- 

 tiate them ; moreover, Swallows often perch, while 



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