

Male in partial moult. Upper parts brown, partially glossed with bronzy green ; centre of the back slightly 

 mottled with white ; upper tail-coverts and tail black, the edges of the feathers glossed with steel-blue j 

 the outer tail-feather narrowly edged with white ; uuderparts white, with the chest and a broad band 

 down the throat black, glossed on the lower throat with bronzy green ; pectoral tufts orange-red ; thighs 

 dark brown ; under wing-coverts brownish black. 



Hab. South-western Africa. 



The present species is distinguished by its general blackish-brown colouring, only partially glossed 

 with metallic hues, and by its white abdomen and under tail-coverts. 



It inhabits the western portion of South Africa, and was first discovered by Levaillant in 

 Great Namaqua Land ; it is also common in Damara Land, and has been sent by Mr. Andersson 

 from Little Namaqua Land, and extends its range eastward to Hope Town and Colesberg. 



According to Mr. Andersson (B. Damara Land, p. 71) this is " the commonest Sun-bird in 

 Damara and Great Namaqua Lands, where it is really abundant, especially towards the sea-coast. 

 The scantier and more dreary the vegetation the more common is this bird ; and though 

 unattractive in dress, it helps to enliven the monotonous solitudes which it frequents by its 

 activity and pleasant subdued warbling chirp. The male assumes a somewhat more attractive 

 garb during the breeding-season than at other times of the year, when it resembles the female, 

 whose colouring is of the most sombre description. Levaillant tells us that this bird nests in 

 the hollows of trees ; but this differs from my experience, as I have always found its nest 

 suspended from the branch of some low acacia. The nest is chiefly composed of soft grasses and 

 the fine inner bark of trees, and is lined with a quantity of feathers. I found the young just 

 fledged on April 3rd." 



Mr. Layard (Ibis, 1868, p. 244) informs us: — -"This plain-coloured Sun-bird I never saw till 

 Mr. Ortlepp forwarded several individuals from Colesberg. Nest domed, suspended, composed 

 of wool and fibres, and lined with feathers and goat's hair. The eggs, three in number, are so 

 unlike those of any Sun-bird with which I am acquainted, that, had I not confidence in Mr. 

 Ortlepp's care and discrimination, coupled with his description of the nest, I should have con- 

 cluded they did not belong to this species. They are white, spotted with intensely dark purple- 

 brown and pale purple spots, chiefly forming a close-set ring, near the obtuse end. Axis 6-j", 

 diam. 4£'" ". 



The descriptions which I have given of the adult female and of the male in partial moult 

 are taken from specimens in the British Museum, and formerly in Mr. Sharpe's collection. The 

 former was collected by Mr. Andersson in Little Namaqua Land, the latter by Mr. Atmore at 

 Hope Town. 



It is recorded by Dr. Hartlaub (Orn. W.Afr. p. 51) from Angola, on the authority of a 

 specimen in the Paris Museum, which I cannot but suspect has been wrongly labelled. 



