270 ]\Ir. W. L. Sclater 07i Birds collected 



the new feathering of the head, mantle, and under parts 

 being as in the adult female, interspersed with a few metallic 

 feathers, some of which still shew the shaft-scales. 



^ , imjnature. 14 ]\Iarch. — This bird is in full moult, and is 

 obviously changing from the second plumage to the full 

 adult, as all the old feathers are very much worn, the long 

 central tail-feathers being worn to a thread ; the head, 

 mantle, and under parts have hardly started to change, but 

 what feathers are appearing, are metallic. 



(^ . 23 June. — This specimen is in full moult and has 

 practically assumed its complete adult feathering, only a 

 few worn dull feathers being left on the head and nape^ 

 lower flanks, and under tail-coverts. 



When the series in the Rudd Exploration Collection is laid 

 out along with the fine series of immature males in the 

 Museum Collection, the sequence of plumage appears very 

 complete. 



This large Sun-bird was commonly noted in Namaqua- 

 land, the Cape Peninsula, the Knysna district, Natal and 

 Zululand, and tlie South-Easteru, Eastern, and North- 

 Eastern Transvaal, but was not seen anywhere in the 

 Portuguese country. It frequents the more open hill-sides 

 and mountainous districts, seldom occurring in densely 

 wooded localities and never inside the forests. It especially 

 frequents localities where Proteas abound and feeds on the 

 nectar of these and other flowering shrubs when in season, 

 varying its diet with insects. When tliey are in flower, it 

 can always be found where Aloes of the Alue arbuvescens group 

 exist. . ■ . ■< 



The males are rather pugnacious, especially in the breeding- 

 season, and chase each other with swift and twisting flight, 

 the metallic plumage shining in the sun. This species is seen 

 in pairs, but more often singly. The call of both sexes is a 

 loud chirrup, the males often indulging in a loud and not un- 

 melodious song uttered from the top of some twig or shrub. 

 I have not discovered an occupied nest. 



The soft parts are : — Irides hazel ; bill, legs and toes 

 black.] 



