197 



CINNYEIS SUPEKBUS. 



(SUPERB SUN-BIRD.) 



Le Sougnimbindou, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. Dor. ii. p. 44, pi. 22 (1802). 



Certhia superba, Shaw, Gen. Zool. viii. p. 193 (1811); id. Nat. Misc. xx. p. 316, p. 865 



(1847). 

 Certhia sugnimbindu, Bechst. Kurze Uebers. p. 193. no. 80 (1812). 

 Cinnyris superbus, Cuv. Regn. Anim. i. p. 412 (1817); Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxi. 



p. 512, pi. 20. fig. 3 (1819); Bonn, et Vieill. Enc. Meth. ii. p. 597(1823); Bp. Consp. 



Av. i. p. 408. no. 34 (1850). 

 Violet-throated Creeper, Lath. Gen. Hist. B. iv. p. 257. no. 58 (1822). 

 Cinnyris sugnimbindou, Less. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 48 (1828). 

 Cinnyris sanguineus, Less. Traite d'Orn. p. 296. no. 18 (1831) ; Pucheran, Rev. et Mag. Zool. 



1853, p. 487. 



Nectarinia superba, Jard. Monogr. Sun-birds, p. 275 (1843) ; Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 97 (1847) ; 

 Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1851, p. 133; Verr. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1851, p. 316; Hartl. J. f. O. 



1854, p. 13. no. 122 ; Mull. J. f. O. 1855, p. 16. no. 182 ; Verr. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1855, 

 p. 511; Hartl. Orn. Westafr. p. 45. no. 127(1857); Cass. Pr. Philad. Acad. 1859, p. 37; 

 Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 107. no. 1313 (1869); Sharpe, Ibis, 1870, p. 52; id. P. Z. S. 1871, 

 pp. 133, 609, 615; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 38. no. 355 (1871); Shelley & Buckley, Ibis, 1872, 

 p. 287; Ussher, Ibis, 1874, p. 59; Reichenow, J. f. O. 1875, p. 31; Bouvier, Cat. Ois. 

 Marche &c. p. 13. 



Chromatophora superba, Reichb. Handb. Scansorise, p. 283. no. 656, pi. 569. fig. 3878 (1851). 



j ad. supra metallice aurato-viridis, tectricibus alarum minimis et medianis dorso concoloribus : tectricibus 

 majoribus remigibusque nigris, metallice viridi limbatis : capite summo saturate metallice smaragdineo : 

 gula, et praepectore chalybeis, mento violaceo nitente : pectore saturate coccineo : abdomine, hypochon- 

 driis et subcaudalibus nigris, bis ssepius rubro late terminatis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride saturate 

 brunnea. 



9 ad. supra, sordide olivacea : alis saturate brunneis, plumis olivaceo limbatis : rectricibus saturate brunneis 

 anguste olivaceo marginatis et albido terminatis : supercilio, genis et regione parotica, fulvis : subtus 

 pallide flavicans olivaceo tincta, subcaudalibus aurantiaco-flavis. 



Hab. in Africa occidentali. 



Adult Male. Upper parts metallic golden-green, including tbe least and median series of wing-coverts ; 

 greater series of coverts and tbe quills brownisb black ; tail black, tbe feathers narrowly edged with 

 metallic green ; forehead and crown deep metallic emerald-green, with a few of the feathers towards 

 the edges occasionally with subterminal metallic orange and red bars ; a black patch in front of the 

 eyes ; cheeks and ear-coverts bronzy green with copper and violet reflections ; throat and crop steel- 

 blue, glossed with violet towards the chin ; breast dark glossy red ; abdomen, flanks, and under tail- 



