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on the sides of the chest is scarcely perceptible when the wing is closed," but with every movement of the 

 body shows very conspicuously. 



Mr. Blyth states that this bird " visits the neighbourhood of Calcutta only in the cold season, when it is 

 not uncommon. On its arrival both sexes are clad in the plumage referred to N. currucaria by Sykes, and 

 before they leave, all have more or less completely assumed their nuptial dress, which is also alike in both 

 sexes. In Nepaul it is probably a summer visitant only ; and it extends westward to the Indus and southward 

 to Ceylon, but I have never seen it from the eastern side of the Bay of Bengal." 



The following interesting notes are from the pen of the late Captain Boys : — 



" The native name of this species is Shukur-Khor, the signification of which is precisely the same as that 

 of the generic name, being literally ' Sugar-eater.'' 



" The young males resemble the females during the first year of their existence, but assume the full 

 plumage in the second, when the moulting commences on the breast and throat, where the iridescent colours 

 of the adult first appear. 



" This bird feeds on the nectar of flowers and the minute insects frequenting the bottoms of their coronce 

 which it procures by inserting its long tongue into the flower-cups. Although it almost always settles while 

 feeding, I have several times observed it extract honey from flowers while on the wing after the manner of 

 the Trochilidce, or Humming-birds. 



" In 1829 I slightly wounded a male in the bastard wing, secured and brought it home : by some neglect 

 it was unthought of for four days, when, on looking into the bag in which it had been placed, I found that it 

 was not only alive, but that the wing had completely cicatrized : I should observe, however, that the broken 

 part of the wing had been taken off with a pair of scissors immediately after the bird was brought home. I 

 placed it in a cage and succeeded in keeping it alive for several weeks by feeding it upon sugar and water 

 of which it took great quantities, but, owing perhaps to a want of variety in its food, it became thinner and 

 thinner until it died. During its captivity it was very sprightly, and from the first day readily fed itself 

 by dipping its tongue into the dish of syrup with which it was supplied. 



" The nest is rudely formed of dried grasses coated externally with cobwebs, and is generally difficult of 

 access, or hidden from observation. 



" The song of the male, though comprising but a few notes, is very sweet. 



" Specimens were procured at Sultanpore, Benares, Jan. 22, 1840, and at Jucunie, Nov. 14, 1841." 



Captain Tytler, in his " Notes on the Fauna of Dacca," mentions that the Nectarinia Asiatica is common 

 and that it breeds amongst the bushes. 



It will be observed that Captain Boys states that the nest of this species is rudely constructed • 

 Mr. Layard, on the other hand, informs us that " the nests of A 7 ". Lotenia and N. Asiatica are elegant domed 

 structures, generally suspended from the extremity of a twig of some low bush artfully covered with cobweb 

 in which I have often seen the spider still weaving her toils, having extended the web to the surrounding- 

 branches, thus rendering the deception still more effective ; and it would seem that the birds were aware of 

 it, and left their helper undisturbed. 



" The entrance to the nest, which, if built in a bush, is always turned inwards, is screened from the sun 

 and rain by a portico projecting often above an inch beyond the walls. The eggs usually are from two to 

 four, of a whitish ground-colour, so closely speckled with minute dusky spots as to appear grey. They 

 weigh from 3 i. gr. 1 . to 3 i. gr. 6, while the parent bird is only 3 ii. heavier. The young males are clad 

 in the livery of the female, but at the first moult assume the proper garb ; the brilliant metallic hues first 

 appearing in a long line down the breast." 



The male has the head, wing-coverts and upper surface shining greenish purple ; win»-s and tail brownish 

 black, margined externally with purple ; sides of the neck shining green, with a wash of blue down the centre, 

 and bounded below by a band of deep red ; on each side of the chest a tuft of scarlet and yellow feathers ; 

 abdomen black, glossed with deep blue ; eyes brown ; bill and legs black ; roof of the mouth yellow. 



The female has all the upper surface pale greyish brown ; under surface pale yellow j wino-s brown with 

 whitish edges ; tail brownish black, the two outer feathers tipped with white. 



The young male at first resembles the female, but as it advances in age gradually assumes the plumage 

 of maturity ; during the transition, the future metallic colouring of the upper surface is indicated by the 

 appearance of a few feathers of that hue at the back of the neck, on the shoulders and other parts, and of 

 the under surface by a broad streak of purple down the throat and a dark patch on the abdomen. 



The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size. 



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