3G2 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



JUivigastra^ Eyton, equally as lai^c as A. chrysogenys; A. inornata 

 and A, modesta^ Eyton ; all from Malacca. 



Wo now come to the typical Sun-birds, of rich and often metallic 

 plumage, which were named Cinnyris by Cuvier, but to wiiich the 

 prior appellation given by Illiger, JS^ectarmia, is now applied. 



They are birds with bill long or moderate, slender, slightly 

 curved ; the tip acute and entire ; the edges minutely denticulated ; 

 base of upper mandible overlapping the edge of the lower one ; 

 nostrils short, oval, and basal, placed in a fossa. The wings are 

 rounded; 1st quill short ; 4th usually the longest; the tail moderate 

 or long, even or graduated ; tarsus longish, slender. 



They have, of late, been greatly sub-divided ; and as Horsfield, 

 Gray, and others have adopted these divisions, I shall follow them here. 

 Birds of this family are called Shahar-hliora, i. e., Sugar-eater, H. — 

 Mdn-chanyi, or Phul-chingi, Beng. — Munaga-jitta, Tel., i. e. 'the birds 

 of the Erythrina flower.' — Sag-vit-pho, Lepch. — Chong-jip, Bhot. 



Gen. ^Ethopyga, Cabanis. 



Char. — Bill of moderate length and curvature ; tail graduated, 

 with the central tail-feathers much elongated. 



Two or more groups may be found in this genus. The first has 

 the predominant colour fine scarlet or red, and the rump usually 

 sulphur-yellow (whence Cabanis's name). They are found both in 

 India and ]\Ialayana. 



A lesser section may be made of those which have the throat 

 and breast of the same red as the back, and the tail glossy-green 

 or purple. 



225. .fflthopyga miles, Hodgson. 



Cinnyris, apud IIODGS., Ind. Rev. 1837 — Blyth, Cat. 1351 

 (partly) — HoRSF., Cat. 1066 — Nect. Sehcriaj, Tickell. — C. 

 labecula, McLell. — C. goalpariensis, Royle, HI. Him. Bot., 

 pi. 7, f. 1 — Gould's Birds of Asia, pi. 



The Himalayan Red Honey-sucker. 



Descr. — Forehead and crown of head dark shinine; metallic 

 green, more or less glossed with purple ; hind-head, cheeks, and 



