202 



XNectarinia coccinig aster, Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 98 (1847). 

 Nectarinia splendens, Schl. Handl. Dierk. p. 236 (1857). 



6 ad. supra splendide metallice viridis, collo postico et interscapulio saturatius viridibus vix chalybescentibus : 

 tectricibus alarum minimis et medianis dorso concoloribus : majoribus remigibusque nigris sub certa 

 luce viridescenti lavatis : supracaudalibus longissimis chalybeo-viridibus : rectricibus uigris metallice 

 viridi marginatis : pileo summo et gutture metallice violaceis, facie laterali chalybeo lavata : colli 

 lateribus metallice viridibus : pectore scarlatino, plumis chalybeo marginatis, imis latius chalybeis : 

 corpore reliquo subtus nigro : subcaudalibus chalybeo-viridibus : fasciis subalaribus pallide sulfureis : 

 subalaribus nigris, margine alari viridi : remigibus infra indigotico-nigris : rostro et pedibus nigris : 

 iride saturate brunnea. 



$ ad. supra flavicanti-olivascens : tectricibus alarum brunneis olivaceo marginatis, majoribus et secundariis 

 intimis anguste albido terminatis : remigibus brunneis, extus olivascenti-flavo limbatis : rectricibus 

 nigris albido anguste terminatis : plumis anteocularibus fuscescentibus : supercilio indistincto flavido : 

 regione parotica olivascente : genis et corpore reliquo subtus flavis, pectoris plumis et hypochondriis 

 basaliter brunneis quasi marmoratis : subalaribus albicantioribus vix flavido lavatis et basaliter brunneis. 



Hab. in Africa occidentali. 



Adult Male. Upper parts rich metallic green, with a blue gloss towards the back of the neck and upper 

 tail-coverts, and with a golden shade on the centre of the back ; entire head and throat metallic violet, 

 gradually shading into green on the sides and back of the neck; wings and tail black, with a green 

 gloss; the least and median series of wing-coverts metallic green, and the tail-feathers edged with that 

 colour; underparts black; chin, throat, and front of the chest metallic violet; the feathers of the front 

 of the chest are edged with scarlet, and form a broad pectoral band of that colour shot with metallic 

 violet ; pectoral tufts pale sulphur-yellow ; under tail-coverts metallic green, glossed with blue ; under 

 surface of the wings black, with the marginal coverts partially edged with metallic green ; bill and legs 

 black ; irides dark brown. Total length 5 inches, culmen - 95, wing 2-7, tail 1*7, tarsus 065. 



Adult Female. Upper parts ashy olive ; sides of the head the same colour, but slightly darker in front of 

 the eyes ; a broad buff eyebrow ; wings dark brown, with the edges of all the feathers pale brown, 

 shaded with olive on the least and median series of wing-coverts, and on the secondaries ; tail-feathers 

 brownish black, glossed with green, partially edged with olive and with narrow white tips; underparts 

 yellowish buff, palest towards the chin, and slightly shaded with olive on the flanks ; lower portion of 

 the throat and the front and sides of the chest obscurely mottled by the olive-brown centres of the 

 feathers ; under tail-coverts with large triangular brown centres ; under surface of the wings brown, 

 with the inner margins of the quills and the coverts white, the latter partially shaded with buff; bill and 

 legs black ; irides dark brown. Total length 4*9 inches, culmen - 85, wing 255, tail 17, tarsus - 65. 



Yuung Male. Very similar in plumage to the female, but with the chin and the greater portion of the 

 throat black. 



Male in partial moult. Very similar to the female, but slightly browner ; no eyebrow; a few metallic feathers 

 on the head and wing-coverts ; only a few of the outer tail-feathers tipped with white ; entire chin and 

 throat rich metallic violet, and a few of the feathers on the front of the chest tipped with scarlet. 



Hab. West Africa. 



