80 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



133. Nectarinia Senegalensis. (Linn.) 



On., Vol. 3, t. 34, f. 2 ; Cinnyris Discolor, VieiL, Ois 

 d'Or, t. 8, 9 ; Le Sucrier Protte, Le Vail., PL 285, f. 2. 



IN repose, the front of the neck and breast is bright red ; 

 when excited, the slightly raised feathers show spots of most 

 brilliant golden-green and changing blue ; forehead and chin 

 golden-green ; top of head, back of neck, the whole upper 

 body and belly deep-brown, with a violet tinge ; wings and 

 tail purple- maroon ; bill and feet black ; eyes red-brown. 

 The female is of a uniform greyish-brown, deepening on 

 the wings and back ; bill and feet brown. 



Le Vaillant only found this bird in Kaffraria ; but it inhabits 

 Senegal, and is found both on the East and West Coasts. He sup- 

 poses they build in hollow trees, as the plumage of those he shot smelt 

 strongly of decayed wood. I met with this bird plentifully at 

 Zanzibar, and at Cape Delgado, on the East Coast. It frequented the 

 mango trees, perching on the highest branches, and uttering a loud, 

 shrill note. In the young males the breast is mottled black and yellow. 

 Andersson seems to have found them plentiful in Damaraland ; his col- 

 lection contained many specimens. I have also seen it from Otjim- 

 binque, not far from Walwich Bay ; it must, therefore, be a widely- 

 distributed species. I killed a specimen at Cape Delgado, clinging to, 

 and apparently building, a nest similar in shape, and hung in like 

 manner to those of the N. Famosa. I also shot down the nest from 

 the elevated pendant branch of a Casuarina tree. It was composed 

 chiefly of cob-web and bits of lichen, and had the usual covered porch. 

 It was incomplete, and contained no eggs. 



134. Nectarinia Natalensis, Jardine, Sun- 

 birds, 1 PL 12. 



CORONAL patch (confined to the forehead and crown) is of 

 a rich bluish-green ; gular patch, of a golden-green, confined 

 to the chin and throat, and is bordered on each side with a 

 narrow maxillary stripe of the same colour as the crown. 

 Upper parts, cheeks, and sides of the neck, very deep, soft, 

 and velvety -umber-brown, paler on the wings and tail, the 

 bend of the wing having a violet patch. On the under 

 parts, the fore part of the neck and breast are of a brilliant 

 scarlet, appearing in different lights, waved with violet, 

 from the structure of the feathers, being the same as those of 

 N. Senegalensis ; the simple apical tips only being scarlet, 

 and producing all the brilliant effect. The remaining under 

 parts are very deep blackish-brown, appearing in some lights 

 almost black. Length, almost 6". 



I have quoted the full description given by Swainson, that there 

 may be no mistake in the discrimination of this species ; though, for my 



