Birds of the Gold Coast Colony ^c. 287 
8. Chalcomitra senegalensis (Linu.). 
Chalcomitra senegalensis Shelley, B. Afr. ii. p. 89 (1900). 
Cinnyris senegalensis Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 94 (1884) ; 
Eeicheii. J. f. O. 1897, p. 46 (Togoland). 
It was not till we reached Gambaga that we noticed this 
species. It is the common Sun-bird of the Hinterland, 
resorting to the belts of trees which line the banks of the 
small watercourses. In December we found it in pairs in 
full breeding-plumage, frequenting open ground and flying 
from one low bush to another. At the end of April, 
when the first rain was experienced, a large tree with shiny 
leaves, common along the banks of the streams, broke out 
into white blossoms, like those of our horse-chestnut. These 
/ 
trees were immediately besieged by numbers of this Sun- 
bird, both old and young, the males predominating to a 
large extent. They were full of activity, the males keeping 
up a continual chattering — a musical chirp, not unlike that 
of a Sparrow. The gradations of plumage through which 
the young bird passes until adult plumage is attained are 
well defined : — 
(a) Nestling ; similar to the female, but throat and fore- 
neck dull black. 
[b) Chin, upper throat, and chest assuming the adult 
coloration. 
(c) Breast and underparts following suit. 
[d) Upper parts, moustachial band, and crown also in 
full plumage. 
This same process of change of plumage is followed in 
C, gutturalis {cf. Ibis, 1899, p. 560). 
9. Chalcomitra adelberti (Gerv.). 
Cinnyris adelberti Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 99; Reichen. 
J. f. O. 1897, p. 46 (Togoland) ; Shelley, B. Afr. ii. p. 112. 
Prahsu and Fumsu. 
Not common, keeping much to the tops of the tall forest- 
trees in the neighbourhood of the native villages. 
Our immature males, killed in August, have no metallic 
colouring, and are similar to the female, except that the chin 
