brown; beak and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 4 - 8 inches, oilmen - 8, wing 25, 

 tail 2, tarsus 7. 



Younff Male. Similar in plumage to adult female. 



Hab. South Africa. 



Obs. A specimen in Mr. Sharpe's collection from the Transvaal (Ay res), an adult male in full plumage, 

 has the two centre tail-feathers O'lo inch longer than the others. A specimen in the same collection 

 from the "Zambesi (Verreaux)" has the oilmen 09 inch in length. 



The present species is confined to South Africa. It is common in Ondonga and Damara Land, 

 and southward to Cape colony, and across the interior from Lake Ngami to the Transvaal and 

 the Zambesi, but it does not appear to frequent the actual coast of South-eastern Africa. 



During my short visit to this coast I was never fortunate enough to meet with it, either 

 during my excursions about Cape colony, or in my visits to Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, or 

 Durban ; and from the latter locality I have seen so many collections that I feel very positive 

 that it does not occur there ; but in the interior and the Transvaal it is certainly not uncommon. 

 Mr. T. E. Buckley during his travels in South Africa obtained several specimens of this bird, 

 and gives the following notes in a very interesting paper upon his journey in the Matabili 

 country : — " Quite the commonest Sun-bird from north of Pretoria into the Matabili country. 

 They were generally to be seen in pairs, or perhaps two cocks chasing a hen. Like all dark- 

 coloured Sun-birds, the beautiful plumage of the male is only to be seen on a near approach. 

 From the specimens I have in my collection it would appear that the male changes from the 

 sober colours of the female into his own lovely hues in October. The habits of all Sun-birds 

 seem to be similar, very lively and restless, rarely remaining long in one tree, unless attracted by 

 an abundance of flowers, in which, no doubt, their food is to be found. The males are much 

 shyer than the females. I did not observe this species in Natal." 



In the Transvaal it has been found by Mr. Ayres, who remarks : — " This lovely little bird I 

 first shot at some distance from the river Limpopo during July. I found several feeding amongst 

 some aloes; but they were very shy and difficult to obtain. Flowers being at that season exceed- 

 ingly scarce, they frequently hunted for small insects amongst the dry seed-tops of the high grass, 

 hovering round the stems as a Humming-bird would do, and thus remaining stationary, but 

 darting away immediately on my approach, so that I found it difficult to get within forty or fifty 

 yards of them." 



From the Zambesi district I have seen a specimen in Mr. Sharpe's cabinet ; and it is worthy 

 of note that in his fine collection there is another from the Transvaal with the two centre tail- 

 feathers slightly elongated, being 0T5 inch longer than the others. This form of the tail I have 

 also met with in an example of ft cupreus in the same collection, a peculiarity which I have not 

 observed in any specimens belonging to the other groups of Cinnyris : and I consider that it 

 points to this "dark metallic group," as I call it, of Cinnyris as being that most nearly allied to 

 the genus Nectarinia. 



This species penetrates throughout the central portions of South Africa; for both Mr. Chapman 

 and Mr. Andersson speak of its frequenting the Lake-Ngami district, as well as Damara Land, 



