On Sunbirds.



257



of a greenish-grey tinge with dusky spots. The first nest was

accidentally destroyed after the eggs were laid ; and the couple

immediately commenced building another in a small tree at the

other side of the door, and in this instance, as in the last, began

operations on a fragment of a spider’s web ; which is a hint for

nesting in an aviary !


Another observer describes the nest as composed of small

twigs, pieces of grass and leaves, and lined with thistle-down and

silk cotton. It is generally adorned with the excrement of cater¬

pillars, small bits of rag, paper, etc. Mr. Morgan records that a

pair which built in front of his office at Kurnool, in an acacia tree,

had the most extraordinary nest he had ever seen. It w T as orna¬

mented with bits of blotting-paper, twine, and old service stamps

that had been left lying about. The whole structure was most

compactly bound together with cobv r ebs, and had a long string of

caterpillar-excrement w T ound round it. It breeds from February to

June. They have tw 7 o broods in rapid succession, usually in the

same nest. When the female is on the nest, her little head can

be seen just peeping out of the hole under the ‘ aw T ning,’


A nest at Agra was built on a loose piece of thatch-cord in a

verandah, and on the side of the nest, stuck on like a signboard,

was a piece of a torn-up letter with ‘ My dear Adam ’ on it; pre¬

sumably the little Eve had written it in admiration of her husband

with the shining plumage.


The Sun-Birds form part of the large group of Honey-

Suckers. The plumage of the males in nearly all instances, differs

strongly from that of the females, and is as a rule very brilliant,

vying with the colours of the Humming-Birds. No coloured picture

can really do them justice on account of the metallic hues which

change in great variety according to the light.


Sun-Birds in a wild state feed on minute insects, and suck

honey from flowers with their long slender tongues. They do not,

like the Humming-Birds, hover in front of flowers to feed, but cling

to them.


The range of the family is an extensive one. Africa, Mada¬

gascar and the neighbouring islands ; Palestine ; Southern Asia ;

Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Philippines, Celebes, New Guinea, North



