o<>7 



ANTHBEPTES AURANTIA. 



(VIOLET-TAILED SUN-BIRD.) 



Anthreptes aurantium, Verr. Eev. et Mag. Zool. 1851, p. 417; Hartl. J. f. O. 1854, p. 14, 



no. 129. 

 Anthreptes aurantius, Strickl. Contr. Orn. 1851, p. 133. 

 Cinnyricincla aurantia, Eeichb. Handb. Scansorise, p. 306, no. 716 (1854) ; Bp. Comptes 



Eendus, 1854, p. 265. 

 Nectarinia aurantium, Mull. J. f. O. 1855, p. 16, no. 176. 

 Anthreptes aurantia, Hartl. Orn. W.-Afr. p. 53 (1857); Cass. Pr. Philad. Acad. 1859, p. 37, 



no. 48 ; Du Chaillu, Equat. Afr. p. 472 (1861) ; Hartl. J. f. O. 1861, p. 110 ; Sharpe, Cat. 



Afr. B. p. 41, no. 387 (1871); id. P. Z. S. 1871, pp. 609, 615; Bouvier, Cat. Ois. Marche, 



p. 14 (1875). 

 Anthothreptes aurantia, Heine, J. f. O. 1860, p. 138. 

 Arachnothera aurantia, Gray, Hand-1. B. i, p. 113, no. 1401 (1869). 



d ad. supra pulchre metallice chalybeus, pileo et interscapulio smaragdineo nitentibus : tectricibus alarum 

 minimis metallice smaragdineis, medianis et majoribus saturate brunneis metallice viridi margiuatis : 

 remigibus brunneis, secundariis viridi marginatis : cauda purpurascenti-violacea, rectricibus extimis 

 viridi marginatis : regione parotica, et colli lateribus violaceis : genis et gula metallice chalybeis violaceo 

 nitentibus : guM ima, et corpore reliquo subths albis, fasciis pectoralibus lsete aurantiaco-miniatis : sub- 

 alaribus albis, margine alari viridi : remigibus subtiis brunneis intiis albido marginatis. 



2 ad. mari dissimilis : supra smaragdinea, vix chalybeo nitens, fronte et dorso postico aureo lavatis : tectri- 

 cibus alarum dorso concoloribus, majoribus remigibusque saturate brunneis metallice viridi anguste 

 marginatis : supracaudalibus lsete metallice chalybeis : cauda violacea : regione parotic^, pileo concolori : 

 facie laterali reliqua, gutture toto et prsepectore albis : corpore reliquo subtus dilute flavo : subalaribus 

 et remigum pogonio interno albidis : axillaribus flavis. 



Hab. in plaga Gabonensi Africse occidentalis. 



Adult Male. Upper parts, as well as the sides of the head and neck and the upper half of the throat, metallic 

 green glossed -with steel-blue, most strongly so on the neck, sides of the head, throat, and upper tail- 

 coverts; -wings dark brown; least series of wing-coverts metallic green; median and greater series of 

 coverts and the secondaries broadly edged with metallic green ; tail dark brown washed with metallic 

 violet and the feathers edged with metallic bluish green ; under surface huffish white ; chin and upper 

 half of the throat metallic bluish green ; pectoral tufts reddish orange ; under surface of the wings dark 

 brown, with pale inner margins to the quills, and the coverts white mottled with brown towards the bend 

 of the wing; bill brown, paler towards the base of the lower mandible; hides and legs dark brown. 

 Total length 4-6 inches, culmen 0'6, wing 2-65, tail 2*1, tarsus - 7. 



Adult Female. Upper parts similar to those of the adult male, only with the blue shade on the back of the 

 neck not so strongly pronounced, and with the forehead rather more golden ; sides of the head, chin, 



3a 



