299 



CINNYEIS EEICHENBACHII. 



(REICHENBACH'S SUN-BIRD.) 



Nectarinia reichenbachii, Hartl. Orn. W.Afr. p. 50. no. 142 (1857) ; Cass. Pr. Philad. Acad. 

 1859, p. 36. no. 43 ; Hartl. J. f. O. 1860, p. 137 ; id. J. f. O. 1861, p. 109 ; Gray, Hand-1. 

 B. i. p. 108. no. 1323 (1869) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1870, p. 478 ; id. Cat. Afr. B. p. 37. no. 347 

 (1871); Ussher, Ibis, 1874, p. 58. 



J supra olivascenti-flavus, uropygio et supracaudalibus purius flavis : pileo undique gulaque metallice indi- 

 goticis : alis saturate brunneis, plumis omnibus olivascenti-flavo marginatis : rectricibus nigris, olivas- 

 centi-flavo marginatis, externis quibusdam ad apicem pallidioribus : subtus cinerascens, abdomine, tibiis 

 et subcaudalibus flavis, vix olivaceo lavatis : fasciis pectoralibus laete flavis : rostro et pedibus nigris : 

 iride saturate brunnea. 



2 ad. supra olivascenti-brunnea : regione anteoculari nigra : alis saturate brunneis, plumis extus olivaceo 

 marginatis : remigibus nigris, extimis versus apicem pallidioribus : subtus palbde obvascenti-flava. 



c? juv. similis mari adulto sed nusquam metallicus : capite undique olivascenti-brunneo : mento gulaque nigri- 

 cantibus : pectore flavicante lateraliter olivaceo lavato. 



Hab. in Africa occidentali. 



Adult Male. Upper parts olive-yellow, the lower back and upper tail-coverts almost pure yellow ; entire 

 head violet shaded with indigo-bronze ; wings dark brown, each feather with rather sharply defined 

 olive-yellow margins ; tail black, the feathers edged with olive-yellow and with pale ends to some of 

 the outer ones, the yellow broadest on the outer feathers; chin and throat indigo-bronze like the head ; 

 breast pale ash-colour with bright gamboge-yellow pectoral tufts; abdomen, thighs, and under tail- 

 coverts yellow, slightly tinted with olive on the sides ; under surface of the wings brown, with the 

 coverts and the inner margins of the quills white ; bill and legs black ; irides dark brown. Total length 

 4" 7 inches, culmen 06, wing 2*35, tail 2'15, tarsus 0-7. 



Adult Female. Entire upper parts uniform olive-brown ; in front of the eye black ; a narrow buff eyebrow ; 

 ear-coverts olive-brown; wings dark brown, all the feathers edged with olive-brown of a slightly 

 yellower shade than the back ; tail black, the feathers slightly margined with olive, and the outer ones 

 with pale tips ; entire underparts pale olive-yellow ; cheeks of the same colour ; under surface of the 

 wings brown, with the coverts and the inner margins of the quills white, the former shaded with yellow ; 

 bill and legs black, with the base of the lower mandible flesh-colour ; irides dark brown. Total length 

 4'5 inches, culmen - 7, wing 2"2, tail l - 7, tarsus - 7. 



Young Male. Similar in plumage to the adult male, excepting that it has no metallic colours on the head 

 and throat, which parts are deep olive-brown, inclining almost to black towards the chin ; remainder 

 of the underparts bright yellow, washed with olive on the sides of the breast ; bill and legs black, the 

 former inclining to brown towards the base of the lower mandible ; irides dark brown. Total length 

 4 inches, culmen - 6, wing 22, tail 1"5, tarsus - 7. 



Hab. West Africa, from the river Volta to the Congo district. 



