PROMEROPID^E. 79 



top and about the sides of Table Mountain. At the Kuysna, I found 

 it in abundance among the uncultivated hill-sides, away from the 

 timber. I saw a pair building a pendant, domed nest, with a project- 

 ing portico over the entrance, at Cape Delgado, on the East Coast of 

 Africa. The nest was hung at the extreme end of a drooping branch 

 of a Casuarina, close to the sea-beach ; not far off was the nest of N. 

 Senegalensis. 



131. Nectarinia FuSCa. Vieil. ; Le Sucrier Nama- 

 quois, Le Vail., PI. 296. 



TOP of head, back of neck, and wing-coverts, brown, shot 

 with dull violet. Throat, changing violet and olive- green ; 

 wings and tail brown-black, slightly shaded with violet ; eyes, 

 bill, and feet, brown. Female : uniform, greyish-brown on 

 the upper parts ; below, dirty- white. 



The 9 builds in a hole of a tree, lays four or five greyish eggs, and 

 sits 18 days. Inhabits Namaqualand (Le Vaillant). 

 Professor Wahlberg found it in Damaraland. 



132. Nectarinia Amethystina. (Shaw.) c. 



Auratifrons, Vieill, PL En., p. 590 ; Cuv., Vol. 2, p. 

 260 ; Nat. Lib., Vol. 8, p. 134; Jard. Sunbirds, PL 

 13 ; Le Sucrier Velours, Le Vail., No. 294 ; Nee. 

 Aurifrons, Licht. 



TOP of head and forehead, shining green ; throat and rump 

 cupreus ; shoulders the same, but with a tinge of blue ; all 

 the other parts deep, rich, velvety purple-brown. Length, 

 6"; wing, 3"; tail, 1" 10'". 



This sugar-bird is not very uncommon in the forest districts of the 

 colony ; and I have also received it from the neighbourhood of Swel- 

 lendam, through Mr. Cairncross, who informs me that the specimens 

 sent by him were procured in the mimosa trees which line the banks 

 of the rivers flowing through that district. I saw it at the Knysna, 

 and its habits appeared similar to those of the common N. Chalybea. Le 

 Vaillant found their nests in the thickest bushes and in holes of trees. 

 Eggs five in number, spotted with olive-green, on a greyish ground. 



Mr. Atmore writes : " Oudtshoorn, 24th January, 1863. I enclose 

 you a couple of eggs of the black sugar-bird. The nest is a curious 

 structure, hanging on the branch of an apple-tree, very rough outside, 

 composed of short bits of stick, grass, and spider's-web arched, as 

 are the nests of all the tribe. The number of eggs appears to be two, 

 as we did not take these till they were incubated ; before they were 

 blown they were of a soft, creamy-yellow colour. I have not seen this 

 species west of the Gouritz River : on the other side they are plentiful, 

 especially when the ' wilde dagga ' is in flower. 



The eggs sent by Mr. Atmore are of a beautiful creamy grey, with 

 indistinct, confused blotches, spots, and streaks, chiefly at the obtuse 

 end : axis, 9'" ; diaxn., 6'". 



