

The Natal Collared Sun-bird is distinguished from its West-African ally (A. hypodila) by the 

 very plainly marked metallic edgings to the secondary quills, a feature not to be observed in the 

 latter bird. Although perhaps a character of apparently small importance, it is a constant one, 

 and obtains even in the nestling bird, so that I consider A. collaris to be a distinct species from 

 A. hypodila and its other African congeners. 



Its range is rather restricted, and it has not at present been met with away from Southern 

 and South-eastern Africa. Levaillant first discovered the species on the Gamtoos river, where, 

 he says, it is very abundant, being usually found in family parties. Mr. Atmore, however, who 

 is thoroughly well acquainted with the locality mentioned, has never encountered the species at 

 all ; so that its presumed abundance may be questioned. But that it does occur there is certain ; 

 for M. Verreaux presented Mr. Sharpe with a specimen shot on the Gamtoos in August 1852, 

 as well as one from the Buffalo river. In Mr. Sharpe's collection there is also a specimen sent 

 by Mr. Layard from the Uitenhage district ; and Mr. Richard has procured it at East London. 

 It has been likewise found near Graham's Town by Dr. Atherstone ; and the same gentleman 

 has shot specimens at the mouth of the Kleinmont river, about eight miles distant from the 

 Kowie : for this last information we are indebted to Mr. Layard, who also tells us that he has 

 received it from Mrs. Barber, from the " New- Year river." 



In Natal, from my own experience, I found it tolerably abundant near Durban, usually in 

 pairs or small parties, frequenting the low, thick bushes, busily searching for insects amongst the 

 twigs and leaves, and not, like most other Sun-birds, only frequenting the flowering plants and 

 trees. In fact, in their habits they much resemble our Willow-Wren (Phylloscopus trochilus), as 

 they climb and hop amongst the boughs or flit round the edges of the prickly mimosse or the 

 tangled creepers, displaying the brilliant green of their plumage, which they retain at all seasons 

 of the year. Even the nestlings present these metallic colours to the same extent as the adult 

 females, as I have had the opportunity of verifying myself; while at Durban on the 28th of 

 March a portion of one of their nests was brought in containing two young birds ; the nest was 

 constructed of fine grass, thickly lined with feathers and horsehair. 



This peculiarity of the nestling being adorned with the brilliant metallic colours of the adult 

 is, as far as we know, only met with in the present species and in the two nearest allied forms 

 from Western and Eastern Africa. The knowledge of the plumage of the nestling shows that 

 the metallic green edges to the quills in this species do not alter with age, and proves conclusively 

 that the West-African A. hypodila is really a distinct species — and is further of assistance in 

 enabling us to distinguish the immature birds of these species from those of A. rectirostris and 

 A. tephrolcema, in which the back is more or less mottled with non-metallic plumes. 



The present species I have rarely met with in the higher forest-trees, amongst the blossoms 

 so much frequented by most of the members of this family. This modification in habits accords 

 with the shortness of its bill, as its structure is more adapted for capturing insects, and less for 

 probing into the chalices of flowers, than in most of the species belonging to the other genera 

 of Cinnyridse. 



These remarks, which are entirely from my own notes, are supported by Mr. Ayres's 

 observations, also made in Natal. " These little birds," he says, " are, I think, rather more 

 insectivorous than the other Natal species, as I have noticed that they climb about the creepers 



