BIRDS OF TENA&SEUIM. 185 



[The head-quarters of this lovely species seems to ine to be 

 the extreme south of Tenasserim. About Mergui, and between 

 Mergui and the Pakchau Estuary, it was common to a degree ; 

 frequenting principally the gardens and cocoanut palms, but 

 found also occasionally in forest where this is not too thick, and 

 in the mangroves that everywhere about Mergui fringe the 

 interminable labyrinths of creeks. Northwards I obtained it at 

 Tavoy and Yea, but did not observe it further north in Tenasse- 

 rim, though it has been obtained at Moulmein, where however it 

 is rare. — W. D.] 



Neither have I received it from Pegu, but it again appears 

 in the Arracan Hills, Chittagong, and Hill Tipperah, where I 

 have obtained it, and whence many specimens were sent me long 

 ago by the late Mr. Irwin. 



As far as I can judge from our very large series killed at 

 different times, this species has no distinctive non-breeding 

 plumage. 



This species is a true Honeysucker, feeding almost exclusive- 

 ly on nectar, and its note like that of the rest of its congeners 

 is only a very feeble chip, chip, uttered as its flies from flower to 

 flower. 



The following are dimensions, &c, recorded in the fjesh : — 



Males. — Length, 3*8 to 4'12 ; expanse, 5*85 to 6 - 25 ; tail from 

 vent, 1-1 to 1*45; wing, 1*75 to 1'95 ; tarsus, 0*45 to 05 ; 

 bill from gape, 06 to 0*65; weight, 0'2 to 025 oz. 



Females. — Length, 3*75 to 3 - 85 ; expanse, 5*82 to 6'12 ; tail 

 from vent, 2" 12 to 2'25; wing, T75 to 1-85 ; tarsus, 0'5 ; bill 

 from gape, 0-62 to 0-65 ; weight, 0*2 to 0-25 oz. 



The bill, legs and feet are black ; irides deep brown. 



The adult male has the entire cap and nape intensely 

 bright metallic green ; lores, ear-coverts, sides and back of 

 neck, and upper back, tips of the longest scapulars and median 

 wing-coverts,' velvet black; lesser wing-coverts, greater part 

 of the scapulars, middle of back, rump and upper tail-coverts 

 bluish metallic green, with purplish reflections in certain lights ; 

 chin, throat, front of the neck, and just the upper margin of the 

 breast, intense rich metallic purple, redder in one light, bluer in 

 another. In dried specimens, a slight rumpling of the feathers 

 of the chin and the middle of the upper part of the throat 

 produce the effect of a black patch, but there is really nothing 

 of the kind, the metallic purple is unbroken to the base of the 

 bill; breast and sides of the base of the neck and upper ab- 

 domen deep blood red, with a maroon tinge; wing-linino- (ex- 

 cept towards the edge of the wing where it is black), sides, 

 flanks, lower abdomen, vent and lower tail-coverts, dusky, pen- 

 cilled especially on the flanks with grey ; tail black, with 

 faint violet reflections on the central feathers, and the outer 



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