

p. 298. no. 698, pi. 582. figs. 3954-56 (1854) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, 

 p. 74 (1872). 

 Promerops violacea, Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 110. no. 1353 (1869). 



cj ad. capite, collo, interscapulio et tectricibus alarum minimis saturate metallice viridibus violaceo nitentibus : 

 dorso postico et supracaudalibus olivascenti-flavis, bis vix metallice lilacino apicatis : remigibus rectrici- 

 busque saturate brunneis, olivasceuti-flavo limbatis : gutture et prsepectore saturate metallice viridibus, 

 jugulo lilascenti-chalybeo nitente : subtiis flavicans, pectore summo et subcaudalibus aurantiaco-rubro 

 lavatis : hypochondriis tibiisque olivascenti-flavis : fasciis pectoralibus la?te flavis : rostro pedibusque 

 nigris : iride saturate bruunea. 



2 ad. supra olivacea, uropygio et supracaudalibus flavo lavatis : remigibus et rectricibus saturate brunneis 

 extiis olivascenti-flavo limbatis : subtiis dilutior, cinerascenti-olivacea, pectore medialiter flavo lavato, et 

 subcaudalibus flavicantibus. 



Hab. in Africa meridionali. 



Adult Male. Head, neck, uppermost portion of tbe back, and tbe least series of wing-coverts deep metallic 

 green, here and there with lilac reflexions; remainder of the back and the upper tail-coverts olive- 

 yellow, the latter occasionally partially tipped with metallic lilac ; remainder of the wing and tail- 

 feathers dark brown, edged with olive-yellow ; front of the neck deep metallic green, changing into 

 lilac, shaded steel-blue on the lower half of the throat ; undersurfacc of the body yellow, strongly 

 washed with orange-red on the front of the chest and on the tail-coverts, and shading into olive-yellow 

 on the flanks and thighs; pectoral tufts bright yellow; bill and legs black ; brides dark brown. Total 

 length 6 - 5 inches, culmen - 9, wing 2 - 3, tail 3 - 3, tarsus 07. 



Adult Female. Upper parts olive, shaded with yellow on the lower back and upper tail-coverts ; wings and 

 tail dark brown, the feathers edged with olive-yellow ; underparts paler and more ashy olive, washed 

 with yellow down the centre of the breast and on the under tail-coverts ; undcrsurface of the wings 

 brown, with the inner margins of the quills and the coverts almost white, the latter tinted with sulphur- 

 yellow; bill and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 5 inches, culmen - 85, wing 2, tail 2, 

 tarsus 0"G5. 



Hab. South Africa. 



The South-African Wedge-tailed Sun-bird forms, 1 consider, the connecting link between the 

 African genus Nectarinia and the oriental JEthopyga : to the former it is allied in the shape and 

 length of its bill, and in not possessing the loose downy feathers on the middle of the back 

 which are so characteristic of the genus JEthopyga, while to the latter it shows its affinities in 

 the form of its tail. This last character, together with the metallic colouring of the least series 

 of wing-coverts and the orange-yellow breast, distinguish it from all the other members of the 

 family. 



It lives in the wild mountainous parts of South Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope east- 

 ward to Cape Delgado. On the west coast it ranges into Little Namaqua Land ; and if Mr. 

 Layard is correct in the locality he assigns to Mr. Chapman's specimens, it is found in the 

 interior as far north as the Lake Ngami district. We have, however, never seen a specimen 

 from so far inland, and doubt the identification. 



