ioo 



This lovely bird is one of the most striking of all this richly coloured family. It is a native 

 of tropical West Africa, where it ranges from Sierra Leone to the Gaboon ; at the former place 

 it was collected by Mr. Bourcier, whose collection was unfortunately lost in its transmission to 

 America (Jard. Contr. Orn. 1852, p. 59). Mr. Ussher sent a few specimens home from Fantee, 

 and observes (Ibis, 1874, p. 59): — "This beautiful Sun-bird is of very rare occurrence on the 

 Gold Coast ; and I do not recollect having seen more than three specimens during my stay of 

 many years. Those which I obtained have been from the interior." I may therefore consider 

 that I was most fortunate when, in company with Mr. Buckley, I procured six specimens in a 

 very short time at Abouri during our travels in the Aguapim mountains, where the dense forest 

 and the gigantic overspreading trees sheltered us from the scorching rays of the tropical sun, and 

 where the fresh breeze from the wide-spreading plains of Accra tempered the air impregnated 

 with the sweet scents of the flowering trees: in this soft atmosphere, in these wild flowering 

 woods, this lovely little bird takes up its abode, frequenting in company with many other species, 

 especially C. svperbus, the rich blossoms in the higher trees. They may be seen hanging from 

 the twigs and flowers or darting about through the boughs, but usually at such a height that 

 their colours cannot be detected, except when a few rays of light glance at intervals off their 

 plumes. 



It was towards the end of February that we met with them, at which time of year com- 

 paratively few of the Sun-birds had attained their full plumage ; and they all appeared to be on 

 the most friendly terms, displaying none of those fits of jealousy which Sun-birds, as a rule, are 

 so wont to exhibit during the nuptial season. 



We never met with this bird except at Abouri, about thirty miles inland from Accra ; and 

 as Mr. Ussher's knowledge of it was derived from specimens procured by his collector from the 

 forests of Denkera, we may presume that it is an inland species, restricted to the denser forests 

 of large trees ; and this would well account for its great scarcity in collections, so little as yet 

 being known of those regions. 



At Abomey, in Dahomey, it was collected by Mr. Fraser, whose specimens formed the types 

 of Nectarinia fasciata, Jard. : and from the Gaboon came M. J. Verreaux's types of Cjohannce. 

 It has also been collected on the Moonda river by DuChaillu (Pr. Philad. Acad. 1859, p. 37). 



