NOTES FROM NATAL. 247 



August, and saw several others there. About the same time 

 (August 21st), Butler found it breeding in the Drakensberg, near 

 Newcastle. The nest he describes as very similar to many of the 

 Indian "Honey-suckers," consisting of a pear-shaped ball of dry 

 grass, vegetable fibres, cobwebs, &c, very neatly constructed and 

 suspended by the small end from the top of a good-sized green 

 shrub about ten feet from the ground. The entrance was at one 

 side, with a portico over it ; it was warmly lined with feathers. 

 Unfortunately this nest was blown down in a snow-storm before 

 the eggs were laid. One can hardly realise the fact of birds of 

 this genus building with two feet of snow lying on the ground, 

 but it is nevertheless a fact (B). 



Cinnyris chalybceus, Lesser Double-collared Sun-bird. — Very 

 common in the Drakensberg, near Newcastle, where we obtained 

 examples in mid-winter (May and June), and where it breeds. 

 Seen in small flocks, or rather assemblies, on flowering trees in 

 tbe Town Bush at Maritzburg, on 31st August. 



Cinnyris gutttoralis (Linn.), Scarlet-chested Sun-bird. — "I was 

 shown a stuffed specimen at Maritzburg in August, which my 

 informant had himself shot in the ' Town ' Bush in summer ; he 

 stated that the species was not uncommon there in the hot 

 months" (B). 



Cinnyris amethystinus (Shaw), Amethyst Sun-bird. — Not 

 uncommon from Durban as far up country as Ladysmith, but 

 not obtained beyond. At the latter place a male was killed by a 

 boy with a catapult. It was common at Colenso in November, 

 and at Durban both in August and December. Eeid obtained 

 some lovely specimens at these two places. 



Cinnyris verreauxi (Smith), Mouse-coloured Sun-bird. — A 

 female shot in the bush between Sydenham and Durban on the 

 12th August (E). 



Cinnyris olivaceus (Smith), South African Olive Sun-bird. — 

 Eeid obtained a female in the bush near Durban on the 12th 

 August. 



Anthreptes collaris (Vieil.), Natal Collared Sun-bird. — 

 Specimens obtained in the bush near the mouth of the Umgeni 

 (Durban) in December (E). 



Zosterops cajjensis (Sund.), Cape White-eye. — A common 

 species, universally distributed throughout the colony. Many 

 specimens were obtained in the kloofs of the Drakensberg, near 



