64 



The present species, which is nearly allied to 2E. svparaja, may be distinguished by the following 

 characters : — In addition to its somewhat larger size and longer bill, the metallic crown extends 

 further back, and is of a deep metallic green glossed with violet, as are also the upper tail- 

 coverts; the tail-feathers are edged with metallic violet glossed with green; the moustachial 

 stripes are narrower and are formed of uniform metallic violet feathers with no black margins to 

 their inner webs ; the abdominal regions are paler and more ashy. 



Messrs. Hume and Davison write to me : — " We have obtained this species everywhere from 

 Mergui northward through Tavoy and Moulmein to Billing on the Tha-tone plains between the 

 Sittang and the Salween ; and it probably extends somewhat further north than this between 

 these two rivers. East of the Salween we have not observed it much further north than 

 Moulmein, while south of Mergui we have not yet seen it. 



" Like other Sun-birds they are to be met with in gardens, secondary growth which springs 

 up on forest clearings, and on the outskirts of forests. Once only, a little south of Ye, a few 

 were seen in thick forest in a dense cane-brake. 



" Flowers and the cocoanut-palms (which throw out a new inflorescent spike nearly every 

 month) are particularly favourite resorts for this and other closely allied species, where they may 

 generally be seen in pairs, though sometimes three or four visit the same tree ; but more than a 

 pair never act in concert. 



" The song is very feeble, and consists of only a few twittering notes uttered generally while 

 the birds move about from one bunch of flowers to another. Only on a very few occasions have 

 we seen this species hovering in front of flowers, and then only for a few seconds, rather as if 

 looking for a convenient perch than attempting to feed. When feeding it alights sometimes 

 above the flower, and, bending down, turns its head up into the flower, or, when perched below, 

 it thrusts its bill straight up into the chalice, and appears to require some half dozen successive 

 sips to exhaust the nectar. 



"Males. Length 46 to 5 - 25 inches, expanse 6 - 62 to 7 - 2, tail 1*75 to 2 , 0, wing 2*05 to 

 2 - 35, tarsus - 46 to - 6, bill from gape G"7 to 0*75, weight 075 ounce. 



"The legs and feet are dark horny brown, in some greenish brown; the soles are reddish 

 yellow ; the upper mandible is dark horny brown, in some almost black ; the lower mandible 

 pale reddish brown ; irides dark brown. 



"Female. Length 4*3 inches, expanse 6 - 25, tail T45, wing 2 - 0, tarsus - 5, bill from gape 

 - 65, weight 0-25 ounce. In this the only female we have obtained, the legs and feet are 

 reddish brown." 



From the localities assigned by Mr. Blyth in the above references to his Cinnyris mystacalis 

 and Nectarinia goalpariensis, it is evident that he confounded the Malay and Tenasserim birds 

 with the common Indian species. It is also of the present Sun-bird that Captain Beavan writes 

 (/. c), " I procured a fine specimen of this beautiful bird at Moulmein on the 1st of September 

 1805. This species frequents flowering trees, especially the Amherstia, and also low bushes and 

 annuals near the ground when in flower. On the 22nd of September 1865 I obtained a specimen 

 at Moulmein, on Costus argyrqphyllus, a common weed there ; I also observed it on my trip up 

 the river Salween, in villages, feeding on the flowers of the cocoanut-palm ; its note is a loud 

 piping." 



