186 



the Chaffinch, is less strong, but more sweet and melodious: call-note loud and varied." This 

 statement differs from that of Mr. Blyth, who likens its song to that of our Willow- Wren. 

 Mr. Phillips (P. Z. S. 1857, p. 101) tells us that it is common all over the North-west Provinces 

 of India. " In winter it may be seen sporting on the sunny side of lofty trees. As soon as the 

 Sahajna (Ilypcranthcra maringa) begins to blossom, it is constantly seen hovering before the 

 white flowers ; and as each forest-tree begins to bloom, it rifles them of their sweets. It finds 

 nourishment even in the Chankra flower, and is now (May) every morning to be seen hovering 

 over the poisonous Ak Madar Aling. It is very bold, but does not thrive in confinement, though 

 it will suck out honey from flowers put between the bars of its cage. It moults in the rainy 

 season ; and at this time its whole breast is yellow, with the exception of a purple line in the 

 middle ; the back feathers are all of a dull olive-green, but with one or two purple feathers 

 appearing." 



Mr. Gould, in his ' Birds of Asia,' writes : — " The late Hon. F. J. Shore killed it at Hurdwar 

 in April, and under the date of June 19th remarks — 'I find this species is common in the warm 

 parts of Ghurwal, and that it is also met with in the warm valleys of the Himalayas, in the 

 Western Provinces, and in the Saugur and Nurbudda territories. It hovers over flowers like a 

 Humming-bird while sucking' the nectar; I have also observed it on twigs destitute of flowers, 

 engaged apparently in capturing small insects. The yellow and orange patch on the sides of the 

 chest is scarcely perceptible when the wing is closed ;' but every movement of the body shows 

 them very conspicuously." 



According to Major Lloyd (/. c.) it is "very common in the Kattiawar province, in Western 

 India." 



Amongst the other numerous references to this species in the North and North-western 

 Provinces we find the following notes. Captain Cock and Marshall (L c), while in the vicinity 

 of Murree, took several of their nests in May and June in the lower valleys, at about 4000 feet 

 above the sea. Captain Beavan (Ibis, 1869, p. 421) met with it breeding at Umballah. Captain 

 Boys procured specimens at Sultampore and Buares in January, and at Jucunie in November. 

 According to his observations, the young males resemble the females for the first year ; and when 

 commencing the second year to assume their full plumage, the throat and breast are the parts 

 which first show the adult dress. 



According to Mr. Hume (Str. F. 1873, p. 174), it appears to be very abundant all over 

 Sindh. All the specimens he obtained there up to the middle of February were still in winter 

 dress. 



To the eastward of Sindh the greener and short-billed variety, Nectarinia brevirostris, 

 Blanford, is recorded by that gentleman, in his interesting work on his travels in Eastern Persia, 

 from Bahu Kalat, near Mand, Jalk, Kalagan, Dizak, Ispidan, and Bampur, in Baluchistan ; and 

 from Rigan and Bam in the Narmashir territory. He observes : — " I first met with this Sun- 

 bird at a short distance from the Makran coast ; and I subsequently found it in all the parts of 

 Baluchistan traversed, up to an elevation of 4000 feet, wherever there was a sufficiency of bushes. 

 Its favourite resort appeared to be the thickets, chiefly of tamarisk, in some of the stream-beds ; 

 but it was very common in gardens at Bampur and Bam, and appeared to have an especial pre- 

 dilection for rose-bushes. Its habits differed in no respect from those of the allied species, except 



