NECTARINIA BOCAGIL 



(BOC AGE'S SUN-BIRD.) 



Nectarinia tacazze, Bocage, Jora. Lisbon, 1878, p. 2 (nee Riipp.). 



(J ad. nigricans, violaceo et chalybeo-viridi nitens, tectricibus alarum minimis dorso concoloribus : medianis 

 nigris cbalybeo lavatis : majoribus remigibusque nigris : cauda nigra, vix metallica : subtus niger, gutture 

 et jugulo metallice chalybeo-viridibus, plumis paucis aurato nitentibus : subalaribus nigris, remigibus 

 infra cinerascenti-brunneis : rostro et pedibus nigris. 



Hab. in prov. Angolensi Africa occidentalis. 



Adult Male in partial moult. Black, -with tbe feathers on the upper half of the head, ear-coverts, back and 

 sides of the neck, and the least series of wing-coverts broadly edged with metallic lilac, slightly glossed 

 with blue, green, and copper ; feathers of the back, scapulars, and upper tail-coverts broadly edged with 

 metallic bluish-green, glossed with lilac ; median series of wing-coverts narrowly edged with the same 

 metallic colours as the back ; remainder of the wings brownish black, with a green gloss ; the tail has 

 a greenish gloss, and the feathers are narrowly and indistinctly edged with violet-bronze ; chin black ; 

 entire throat metallic bluish green, with a faint lilac gloss ; under surface of the wings dark brown, 

 with the coverts black; bill and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 8'1 inches, culmen - 9, 

 wing 3"05, tail 4'2, tarsus 07. 



Hab. Angola. 



The present species agrees with N. tacazze in form and size, but may be readily distinguished 

 from that bird by the bluish-green colouring of the back, upper tail-coverts, and throat. 



The specimen before me is in apparently imperfect plumage ; yet the colouring as well as 

 the texture of the feathers show no signs of immaturity, so that I feel no doubt as to its being 

 an adult male ; but the plumage appears so very imperfect that I have only specially mentioned 

 those characters for distinguishing it from N. tacazze which I think must remain more or less 

 constant : these, however, are quite sufficient to prove that it is not merely N. tacazze in moult, 

 but an undoubtedly distinct species, which I have no hesitation in naming after my much 

 esteemed friend Professor Barboza du Bocage, to whom I am indebted for the loan of so many 

 interesting specimens. 



The type, which is now in the Lisbon Museum, has been here figured in company with 

 N. cupreonitens. 



