;53 



the entire breast bright yellow. It is closely allied to A. dilutior from the Philippines, which 

 differs, however, in having the centre of the breast white and the sides of the breast of a much 

 paler yellow. 



Of its occurrence in India Dr. Jerdon writes : — " I have found it several times in the forests 

 of the Malabar coast, the Wynaad, and in parts of Mysore bordering the Neilgherries. It is, 

 however, rare, and it has not been noticed elsewhere in India ; but it is common in the countries 

 to the east of the Bay of Bengal." 



Messrs. Hume and Davison write to me : — " In the southern portion of the Indian peninsula, 

 we have it from Kotagherry and other localities in the Neilgherries, the Wynaad and the 

 Malabar coast ; and although not so abundant as in Tenasserim, it is not really rare ; four or five 

 may be seen in a morning about the Euphorbia hedges of the Coonoor Ghats. 



"It is common in Hill Tipperah and the Cachar hills, Chittagong and the Arracan hills, 

 but it does not seem to extend northward into Assam, the Doars, or Sikkim. It does not occur, 

 so far as we yet know, in the dry portions of Upper Pegu ; but throughout the whole Tenasserim 

 Province, from Tonghoo to the river Pakchan, we have specimens from almost every locality. 



" It is the most widely distributed Spider-hunter in Tenasserim, but is nowhere numerically 

 very abundant. "We always found it most numerous in the plantain-gardens, where it may be 

 seen generally upside-down, clinging to the purple bract leaves of the young plantain bunches, 

 its head turned up inside the bract, and thus hidden from sight, busily engaged sucking the 

 nectar from the inflorescence concealed beneath the purple sheath. It is also not uncommon in 

 cocoa-nut plantations, and in the undergrowth, as well as on the outskirts, of scrub jungle. 



" Southward in the Malay peninsula we have obtained it at Singapore and at Neealys (thirty 

 miles north-east of Malacca), and saw it at Jahore and other places ; but it is not nearly so 

 abundant in the peninsula as in Tenasserim, and is, to a great extent, replaced by A. modesta 

 and A. flavigastra. 



" Specimens from all these localities are identical. As yet we have failed to obtain a nest. 

 In this as in all the other species of Arachnothera with which we are acquainted, the male is the 

 largest. The following are the measurements taken in the flesh of a very considerable number 

 of specimens : — 



"Male. Length 6T2 to 6 - 5 inches, expanse 7 - 8 to 8-62, tail from vent 1-62 to T9, wing 

 2-5 to 2-7, tarsus 0-62 to 0-7, bill from gape 1-38 to 1-62, weight 0-45 to 0-55 ounce. 



"Female. Length 5 - 62 to 5-75 inches, expanse 7 - 5 to 7-75, tail from vent 1-62 to 1-75, 

 wing 2-2 to 2 - 5, tarsus - 55 to - 6, bill from gape 1'2 to 146, weight 0-4 to - 5 ounce. 



" The iris is always deep brown ; but there is a great variation in the colour of the soft parts, 

 certainly not dependent on age, as we have obtained both old and young birds exhibiting both 

 types of coloration. Probably it is seasonal, as birds killed in December and January exhibit 

 both types, those killed in June, August, and September exhibit only the first type ; but then 

 we have only three birds killed in June, one in August, and one in September. 



" 1st type. Legs and feet dark plumbeous-blue ; upper mandible black ; lower mandible 

 pale plumbeous-blue. 



" 2nd type. Legs, feet, and claws pale yellowish flesh-colour ; upper mandible horny brown ; 

 lower mandible, except towards the tip and gape, yellowish flesh-colour. 



