-4. 



287 



CINNYEIS VEEEEAUXI. 



(MOUSE-COLOURED SUN-BIRD.) 



Cinnyris verroxii, Smith, S.-Afr. Quart. Journ. 1831, p. 13 ; id. 111. Zool. S. Afr., Aves, 



pi. 57 (1839). 

 Nectarinia verroxii, Jard. Monogr. Sun-birds, pp. 185, 253, pi. 9 (1843); Layard, B. S. Afr. 



p. 76. no. 124 (1867) ; Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 108. no. 1322 (1869). 

 Cinnyris verreanxi, Bp. Consp. Av. i. p. 407. no. 25 (1850). 

 Adelinus verreauxi, Bp. Compt. Rend. 1854, p. 265. 



Elceocerthia verroxi, Reich. Handb. Scansorise, p. 292, pi. 578. figs. 3932-33 (1854). 

 Nectarinia verreauxi, Mull. J. f. 0. 1855, p. 13. no. 139 ; Gurney, Ibis, 1864, p. 348 ; Finsch, 



J. f. O. 1867, p. 246; Finsch & Hartl. Vog. Ost-Afr. p. 861 (1870); Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. 



p. 37. no. 351 ; Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 70. 



<$ ad. supra olivascens, cinerascenti adumbratus, plumis saturate metallice viridescenti lavatis : remigibus et 

 tectricibus alarum majoribus saturate brunneis pallidius marginatis: caudavix nigra, plumis olivascenti- 

 brunneo marginatis : macula anteoculari nigra : subtus pallide cinerascens, abdomine et subcaudalibus 

 olivaceo lavato : fasciis pectoralibus lsete scarlatinis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride saturate brunnea. 



? ad. haud a mare distinguenda. 



Hab. in parte orientali Africse meridionalis. 



Adult Male. Upper parts olive shaded with ashy brown ; the feathers, including the least and median series 

 of wing-coverts, broadly edged with a deep metallic green gloss ; the quills and greater series of wing- 

 coverts dark brown, the feathers narrowly edged with paler brown, of an olive shade on the quills ; tail 

 nearly black with slightly paler ends to the feathers only visible from beneath, and with narrow olive- 

 brown margins ; a small nearly black patch in front of the eye ; underparts pale ashy brown, tinted 

 with olive on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; pectoral tufts bright scarlet ; under wing-coverts 

 and inner margins of the quills white, the former shaded with olive ; bill and legs black ; irides dark 

 brown ; gape scarlet. Total length 5 - 2 inches, culmen 0'9, wing 2 - 45, tail 2 - 0, tarsus 07. 



Adult Female. Similar in plumage to the male. 



Hab. South-eastern Africa — Kaffraria and Natal. 



This very local South-African form may be readily distinguished by the peculiar colouring of its 

 plumage, the upper parts being of an olive-shaded ashy brown, with only the ends of the feathers 

 glossed with metallic green ; the pectoral tufts are bright scarlet. 



In its general form, especially of its bill and tail, it is closely allied to the members of the 

 " dark-brown" group, which includes C. gutturalis and C. amethystinus, while in its olive-colouring 

 it appears to connect that division with the "olive" group through C. olivaceiis, from which, 



