192 



6 ad. supra pulchre et metallice cupreus, vix bronzino nitens, dorso postico, uropygio et supracaudalibus 

 magis metallice lilacinis : tectricibus alarum medianis et minimis metallice lilaciuis : ala reliqua 

 indigotico-nigra, tectricibus majoribus anguste purpureo vel obscure lilaciuo limbatis : rectricibus 

 indigotico-nigris, basaliter viridi margiuatis : facie laterali et gutture toto lsete metallice cupreis, 

 prrepectore magis metallice lilacino : corpore reliquo subtus velutino-nigro, subcaudalibus metallice 

 violaceo marginatis : subalaribus nigris, lilacino lavatis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride saturate 

 brunnea. 



2 ad. mari dissimilis : supra olivascens, tectricibus alarum dorso concoloribus : majoribus et remigibus 

 brunneis, olivaceo marginatis : rectricibus nigris, pallide brunneo terminatis : plaga anteoculari nigri- 

 cante : regione parotica sordide brunnea, : genis et corpore subtus olivascenti-flavis, hypochondriis 

 viridescentibus : subalaribus olivascenti-flavis. 



I lab. in Africa septentrionali-orientali et occidentali. 



Adult Male. Entire head and neck copper-colour, with green reflections in certain lights, gradually shading 

 into lilac-bronze on the back and scapulars, and becoming almost pure metallic lilac on the least and 

 median series of wing-coverts and on the upper tail-coverts ; remainder of the wings and tail black, 

 with the greater series of wing-coverts partially glossed with metallic green and lilac on their outer 

 webs ; tail-feathers edged with metallic green ; the copper-coloured throat shading into metallic lilac 

 on the front of the chest; remainder of the breast and the under tail-coverts black, the latter occa- 

 sionally edged with metallic green and lilac ; under surface of the wings black, with a few of the 

 coverts partially edged with metallic lilac ; bill and legs black ; irides dark brown. Total length 

 4 inches, culmen - 6, wing 22, tail T85, tarsus 0"6. 



Adult Female. Upper parts olive ; wings dark brown with olive edges to the feathers ; upper tail-coverts 

 dark brown, broadly edged with olive ; tail black, with pale ends to a few of the outer feathers, widest 

 on the outermost ones ; on the sides of the head a broad, rather indistinct, buff eyebrow, and a broad 

 dark brown band through the eye ; cheeks and entire underparts olive-shaded buff, slightly paler 

 towards the chin, brighter and more yellow down the centre of the breast, and more olive on the 

 flanks ; uuder surface of the wings brown, with the inner margins of the quills and the coverts white, 

 the latter tinted with yellow; bill and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 4r25 inches, 

 culmen 06, wing 2, tail 1"6, tarsus 0"6. 



Male in moult. Similar in plumage to the female, excepting that the wings are mottled with black 

 feathers, and the lesser wing-coverts with metallic lilac ; tail black, with no pale ends to any of the 

 feathers ; down the centre of the chin and throat a broad baud of copper-coloured feathers. 



Hab. Entire West-African region, and on portion of North-east Africa. 



Obs. Typically coloured males vary in their measurements : — Length -1 to 4<8 inches, culmen - 6 to 0'8, 

 wing 2-15 to 2'25, tail 165 to 1-95, tarsus 06 to 0-65. 



The Copper-coloured Sun-bird may be easily recognized by the bright copper-colour of the entire 

 head, neck, and back ; in this it somewhat resembles Nectaritiia tacazze, but is a much smaller 

 bird, and has a square tail, excepting in a few rare instances, when the two centre tail-feathers 

 are slightly elongated. 



It inhabits a portion of North-eastern Africa, and is to be met with throughout the entire 



