,09 



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CINNYEIS EKYTHROCEKIUS. 



(LONG-TAILED BIFASCIATED SUN-BIRD.) 



Nectarinia erytJirocerca, Heugl. Syst. Uebers. Vtig. N.O.-Afr. p. 20 (1856) ; Hartl. Orn. W.- 



Afr. p. 270 (1857) ; Gray, Hand-1. B. i, p. 107, no. 1294 (1869). 

 Nectarinia erythroceria, Heugl. J. f. 0. 1864, p. 261; id. Beise Weissen Nil, p. 337 (1869); 



Finsch & Hartl. Vog. Ost-Afr. pp. 219, 861, pi. 2, fig. 2 (1870); Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. 



p. 226 (1871). 

 Nectarinia gonzenbachii, Antin. Cat. Descritt. Ucc. p. 35 (1864) ; Hartm. J. f. 0. 1866, p. 235 ; 



Bianconi, Spec. Zool. Mosamb. p. 320 (1867); Heugl. J. f. O. 1867, p. 202; Salvad. Atti 



B. Ace. Torino, 1870, p. 731. 



S ad. supra metallice viridis vix aurato-nitens : supracaudalibus metallice chalybeis sub certa luce violaceo 

 nitentibus : tectricibus minimis et medianis dorso coucoloribus : majoribus remigibusque nigris : rec- 

 tricibus nigris metallice viridi limbatis : plaga, parva triangulari ante oculos posita nigra : facie laterali 

 et gutture toto metallice viridibus : torque prarpectorali metallice violacea : pectore scarlatino, torquem 

 alteram latam formante, plumis anguste subterminaliter violaceo fasciatis : corpore reliquo subtus nigro, 

 subcaudalibus metallice violaceo lavatis : subalaribus nigris, margine alari metallice chalybeo : rostro et 

 pedibus nigris : iride saturate brunnea. 



Hab. in regione Nilotica superiore. 



Adult Male. Entire head and neck, back, scapulars, and least and median series of wing-coverts metallic 

 green, slightly glossed with blue on the back ; upper tail-coverts steel-blue partially glossed with violet 

 and green ; in front of the eye a triangular patch of black feathers ; remainder of the wings brownish 

 black with a few of the greater coverts partially edged with metallic green; tail black, the feathers 

 partially edged with metallic green ; at the base of the metallic-green throat is a narrow metallic-violet 

 collar, followed by a broad scarlet pectoral band, the feathers of which have narrow subterminal metallic- 

 violet bars; remainder of the underparts brownish black; the under tail-coverts partially edged with 

 metallic violet; bill and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 5 - 2 inches,, culmen 0'65, wing 2'4, 

 tail 2, tarsus 0'6. 



Hab. White-Nile district and Mozambique. 



Since the illustration of this species was printed off I have seen a much finer specimen in the 

 Turin Museum — the type of Antinori's Nectarinia gonzenbachii. This specimen measures — length 

 5*4 inches, culmen 0*65, wing 2 - 4, tail 2*6, tarsus - 65. In this example the two centre tail- 

 feathers are much longer than in the one we have above described and figured, so much so, that, 

 were it not for the general structure and proportions of the other parts so nearly coinciding with 

 the members of the present group, it might have deserved specific separation ; but such a course 

 does not appear to me to be necessary. The peculiar form of the two central tail-feathers, which 

 rather suddenly narrow about halfway down, is a well-marked character of this species, which in 



