1 4 



splendide viridi utrinque marginatis, reliquis bronzino-viridi limbatis : fasciis pectoralibus lsete flavis : 

 rostro et pedibus nigris : iride brunnea. 



2 ad. mari dissimilis. Supra brunnea, alis saturate brunneis, pallidius marginatis : Cauda nigricante, rectricibus 

 omnibus albo apicatis, extimis etiam extus albis : supercilio indistincto et plaga supraocular! fulvis : 

 subtus cinerascens, flavo lavata, fascia mystacali utrinque flavicanti-fulva : pectore medio, abdomine et 

 subcaudalibus lactesentibus sulphureo lavatis. 



S juv. baud a fcemina, adulta distinguendus. 



Hab. in Africa meridionali. 



Adult Male. General plumage rich metallic golden green; rather less golden and more emerald-green 

 towards the upper tail-coverts and on the breast ; in front of the eye a black patch like velvet ; wings 

 and tail black ; scapulars, lesser and median wing-coverts, and a broad edging to the greater coverts 

 green like the back, primary-coverts and quills partially edged with bronze ; centre tail-feathers 

 partially edged with metallic golden green, the others with more bronzy green ; pectoral tufts bright 

 yellow; bill and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 9'2 inches, culmen 1 "3, wing 3 - 15, 

 tail 50, tarsus - 7. 



Adult Female. Upper parts brown ; wings dark brown, with pale edges to the feathers ; tail nearly black, 

 with narrow white ends to the feathers, broadest on the lateral ones, which have also their outer webs 

 white ; a rather indistinct eyebrow, and a few feathers below the eye buff; underparts, chin, throat, 

 front of breast, and sides of the body very pale ashy brown, slightly washed with yellow; a band of 

 yellowish buff from the lores down the sides of the throat ; centre of the breast, abdomen, and under 

 tail-coverts cream-colour, shaded with sulphur-yellow ; bill and legs black ; irides dark brown. Total 

 length 5"5 inches, culmen l - 2, wing 2"75, tail 2 - 05, tarsus 065. 



Young Male. Similar in plumage to the female. 



Male in partial moult. Similar in plumage to the female, excepting that the centre tail-feather is elongated, 

 and the white edging to the feathers almost gone, and almost similar to that in the adult male, as are 

 also the wings, scapulars, and lower back ; the buff band from the lores down the sides of the throat 

 indistinct ; the breast mottled with metallic-green feathers. 



II ib. South Africa. From the southern part of Great Namaqua Laud through Little Namaqua Land to 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and from there through Natal and the Transvaal to the Shire valley in the 

 Zambesi district. 



The Malachite Sun-bird, no less attractive by its graceful form and active habits than by the 

 brilliant green of its plumage and its elongated central tail-feathers, is one of the best-known 

 birds of Africa, never having failed to arrest the attention of the sportsman and traveller, as well 

 us of the naturalist. 



It ranges throughout South Africa from Little Namaqua Land to the Cape of Good Hope, 

 and thence along the southern and eastern provinces as high as the Zambesi region. It has been 

 met with at many places in the interior, being generally, but not evenly, distributed. 



In the Knysna district it is not uncommon, many specimens having been sent thence by 



