TENUIROSTRES. 15 



small open grassy spot on the sea-shore, associating in flocks 

 of ten or twelve, and are extremely shy and difficult to ap- 

 proach ; they sail in circles with the flight of a small hawk, 

 sometimes at a great height, and sometimes close to the grass; 

 when they perch, which is not often, they usually select a 

 bare twig. We kept a young one alive for some time, and 

 fed him upon Cockroaches and Grasshoppers, and he became 

 exceedingly tame : he was, however, at last killed by eating a 

 large spider which evidently poisoned him. 



Tribe Tenuirostres. 

 Fam. PromeropidaB. 



Sub-fam. PromeropiiiEe. 

 Gen. Nectarinia. 



Nectarinia pectoralis (Horsf.). 



Pectoral or Dark-breasted Sun-bird (Jardine). 



Male ; above, from the forehead to the tail yellowish olive-green ; 

 the forehead is steel-blue. 



Below, from the chin to the upper breast steel-blue, thence to the 

 tail yellow. 



Wings, brown, the quills externally edged with olive-green. 

 Tail, rounded, black, the three outer feathers on each side tipped 

 with white, which colour on the outer one of all extends nearly half 

 the length of the feather. 



Female wants the steel blue on the throat and forehead, but 

 resembles the male in uther respects, except that the general colours 

 are duller. 



Length, 4 inches 1 line. 



,, of bill, from gape, 8 lines. 

 ,, of bill, from front, 6 lines. 

 „ of wings, 2 inches. 

 ,, of tail, 1 inch 4 lines. 

 „ of tarsus, ^ an inch. 



The specimens from which the above description is taken, 

 were shot on a Mimosa-like tree, overhanging the sea-beach, 

 where they were very busy among the branches, in company 

 with a great variety of other small birds ; they appeared to 

 be hunting some insects, and in their manner and attitudes 

 much resembled our English Tits.* 



* In a letter I have received from Mr. Motley since the above was written he thus 

 speaks of this species : — " I think that there is no doubt that this lovely little bird 

 feeds almost entirely on honey : three or four of thera frequent all day long a beauti- 



