

however, it differs in having the tail perfectly square ; and I consider that it should be separated 

 from both, and placed in what I shall term the " submetallic " group. 



The groups into which I arrange the numerous members of the genus Cinnyris have the 

 advantage of indicating the natural affinities of these Sun-birds, but cannot properly be recog- 

 nized by generic titles, being chiefly founded upon coloration. Most of these groups have been 

 regarded by some naturalists as of generic value : for instance, the present species is the type of 

 Bonaparte's genus Adelinus, in which he includes C. fuscus, C. obscurus, and C. olivaceus ; the 

 two latter, however, do not belong to this section, but to the " olive " group (Elceocerthia of 

 Reichenbach), which may be characterized by the more rounded form of the tail. 



This species was first described by Sir Andrew Smith from a specimen presented to him by 

 M. Verreaux, from Kaffraria ; and, as far as reliable information goes, it is confined to that district 

 and to Natal. It is mentioned by Drs. Finsch and Hartlaub (Vog. Ost-Afr. p. 8C2) as coming 

 from the Zambesi, upon the authority of Mr. Sharpe's collection ; but the only specimen in that 

 gentleman's cabinet is simply labelled " South Africa." Lord Walden possesses a specimen 

 nominally from the Zambesi, but not resting upon good authority. 



Sir Andrew Smith (111. S.-Afr. Zool. pi. 57) remarks: — "Only a very few specimens of this 

 bird have yet been found in South Africa, and none, as far as I know, within the limits of Cape 

 colony. Kafirland, and the country eastward of it, towards Port Natal, furnished the specimens 

 we possess. Like the other species of the group, it feeds upon small insects ; and these it collects 

 partly from the branches and leaves of brushwood and dwarf trees, and partly from flowers ; but, 

 as as far as my experience goes, I should be inclined to consider them as giving a preference to 

 insects. In those I examined I found the bulk of the contents of the stomach to be insects, 

 though at the same time each contained more or less of the saccharine juice." 



Mr. Gurney (Ibis, 18G4, p. 348) publishes the following notes made by Mr. Ayres in 

 Natal : — " Their food consists of nectar and small insects. I have only seen these Sun-birds in 

 the coast bush, and not so plentifully as most other species of Nectarinia. From what I could 

 see, I think their habits resemble those of Nectarinia afra." 



At Durban I had occasional opportunities of watching this species. It appears to be very 

 local, only being found by me in the dense bush which surrounds the town, where it is usually 

 to be seen in pairs fluttering about the edges of the creepers ; and although even here a rare bird, 

 it is not in the least shy. Mr. T. L. Ayres, who has been collecting for me at Pinetown, ten 

 miles inland from Durban, has also procured specimens. In March I was informed by one of 

 the natives that he had taken a nest of this species, which he called the " Mouse-coloured Sun- 

 bird," by which name it appears to be best known to the colonists. The nest was, he told me, 

 supended from the outer twigs of a bush, and very similar in structure to that of Anthodiceta 

 collaris, which he brought me a few days later ; that is composed of dried grass and lined with 

 feathers and horsehair. In its habit of frequenting the low thick bush it differs from C. olivaceus, 

 which I only met with in the large scattered trees in the more open country. 



