LO 



mottled with scarlet ; abdomen shaded with olive, and the thighs with dusky brown ; under surface of the 

 wings dark brown with the inner margins of the quills and the coverts white ; bill black ; irides and 

 legs dark brown. Total length 5 - l inches, culmen 075, wing 2'2, tail 2*8, tarsus 0'6. 



Adult Female. Upper parts olive-yellow, including the least and median series of wing-coverts ; the forehead, 

 crown, and back of the neck of a more ashy brown shade ; the lower back slightly paler and yellower ; 

 remainder of the wings dark brown, the greater series of coverts broadly edged with olive-yellow, and 

 the quills with brownish yellow ; tail brownish black, the two centre feathers strongly washed with 

 olive-yellow, and the others with their basal portions edged with that colour, and with broad, pale ends, 

 becoming white on the inner webs ; sides of the head rather paler and more ashy than the crown ; 

 chin and throat ashy grey, very slightly tinted with olive ; breast, abdomen, and thighs pale olive- 

 yellow ; sides of the body straw-colour ; under tail-coverts deep yellow ; under surface of the wings 

 dark brown, with the inner margins of the quills and the coverts white ; bill black ; legs and irides 

 dark brown. Total length 4 - 3 inches, culmen 07, wing T85, tail V7o, tarsus 0'6. 



II.vb. Eastern Nepal, Sikkim, and Bhootau, to the Khasia hills. 



The Nepal Yellow-backed Sun-bird may be easily distinguished from other JEthopygm by the 

 crown, back of the neck, and the throat being rich metallic green, and the mantle red : the latter 

 character separates it from the nearly allied JE. liorsfieldi. 



In distinguishing the females from those of the other Himalayan JEthopygae, with the 

 exception of JE. liorsfieldi, of which we, as yet, know only the male, the following characters 

 prove of service : — From JE. ignicauda it is to be recognized by its smaller size, narrower and 

 more curved bill, and by the white tips to the tail-feathers, the latter character also distinguishing 

 it from JE. miles. From JE. saturata and JE. gouldice it is separated by the colouring of the lower 

 back, which in those two species is crossed by a tolerably distinct yellow band. 



Messrs. Hume and Davison write in their notes to me : — " This species is excessively common, 

 in fact the commonest of all the JEthopygce in Sikkim, and is not uncommon in the eastern half 

 of Nepal ; but it does not, to our knowledge, extend westward into Kumaon ; at least we never 

 obtained it there, nor have we seen it thence ; and we doubt even whether it occurs in Nepal 

 west of Gunduck. Eastward it is found in Bhootan, and probably extends into Assam. It is 

 very common in the Khasia hills ; but we have not yet obtained it from Hill Tipperah, or from 

 any more southern locality." 



At Darjeeling, Dr. Jcrdon tells us, it is the most common species of Sun-bird, and often seen 

 in the gardens of the station. Captain Bulger, who also met with it there, writes, " I have 

 frequently seen both male and female amongst the shrubs along the edges of the new cart-roads. 

 They were not at all shy, but allowed me to approach them very closely. In their habits these 

 little creatures reminded me much of the Humming-birds, often feeding in the same way, by 

 probing tubular blossoms while poised on rapidly vibrating wings, the plumage of the males 

 meanwhile glittering and flashing in the sun-light like living gems." 



In the Himalayas, to the westward of the Jumna, it is replaced by JE. liorsfieldi, a bird which 

 differs from JE. nipalensis in the olive colouring of the upper half of the back, a character which 

 Mr. Gould was of opinion only indicated immaturity : but such is certainly not the case ; for 

 Mr. Hume writes to me, " No specimen of JE. liorsfieldi has ever been obtained where JE. nipa- 



