on Sunbirds.



255



I hope later on to publish a coloured plate of the above-

mentioned species. In the sunlight the crown of the male shines

like an emerald, his back and breast like a ruby, his moustaches are

sapphires, his upper tail coverts and lower back, topaz with a touch

of emerald.


And these Sun-Birds are so fearless and intelligent. They

can be trained to come on one’s hand in a very short time, where

those who are songsters, and many species have very sweet notes,

will sit and sing. They are hardy, for so many go to high altitudes,

at any rate in the summer time; altitudes ranging from six to seven

thousand feet.


(Fdhopyga bella must be an absolute treasure ; very tiny,

with saffron yellow breast, scarlet back, emerald crown and tail, etc.

It is an inhabitant of the Philippine Islands. And as to the Fire-

tailed Sun-Bird (A. ignicauda ) from the Himalayan Mountains, I

feel a grudge against Mr. Frost that he did not succeed in bringing

some back !


It is rather a larger Sun-Bird, forehead and crown steel

violet-blue: back of the head, neck, back, and upper-tail coverts, and

two central tail feathers, bright scarlet ; lower back, yellow ; chin

and throat metallic violet, shading into steel blue : under surface of

the body, yellow ; strongly shaded with scarlet on the centre of the

chest. Furthermore the tail is very long, measuring five inches of

the bird’s total length of eight.


It is very common in the Sikkim, and in the cold weather

may be found in the Subhimalayan tracts, e.g. at Kalsi in the

Dehran Dhoon.


It is also found in the western hill portion of Assam, etc.

At Darjeeling it appears in considerable numbers about April, the

males at that time in the process of donning their gorgeous nuptial

plumage.


To obtain this species of Sun-Bird only, an expedition would

be worth while. They must be perfectly beautiful ! And so easy

to keep. Some bottles of Horlick’s Malted Milk, and some jars of

Marmite and of honey are sufficient. There need be no failing of

food-supply on the voyage, and all one wants is some hot water to

mix it with, day by day.



