MALATAN ORNITHOLOGY. 3 



the parent birds ; but even without that proof of their youth, they 

 can be distinguished by their dingy plumage, and by the males 

 having but faint signs of the metallic colouring of the mature bird. 

 Their irides are smoky brown. 



Of course, at a little distance, it is impossible to tell the imma- 

 ture birds from mature females. 



In my note-book I find : — 



" Singapore, 23rd Sept. 1879. With K and R 1 went 



by steam-launch to Tanjong Katong, where we spent the morning 

 among the cocoa-nut trees collecting Honey-suckers. The more 

 common kinds, 0. insignis, A. malaccensis, and C. pectoralis, were 

 plentiful enough ; but nowhere could I see one of the bright scarlet 



species, 2E. siparaja, which K shot near Bukit Timah last 



month ; apparently it is rare. 



" I shot several females of C. insignis, veryunlike their handsome 

 mates ; they were 4| inches in length, bill at front 7 T V ; head and 

 upper parts dull grey, tinged on the back and wings with yellowish 

 green ; tail deep steel-blue, tipped with white ; abdomen pale 

 yellow." 



Again : — 



" Changi, Singapore, 8th Jan., 1877. To-day I shot a most 

 beautiful Honey-sucker, C. insignis ; three of them, apparently a 

 male and two females, were sitting on a dead bough, spreading out 

 their wings, preening their feathers, and most thoroughly enjoying 

 the morning sun. I shot the male ; but he fell into the thick jun- 

 gle, and, being such a tiny bird, it was a long time before I could 

 find him." 



ClNNYBI8 HASSELTI. 



Certainly rare, as I never saw it in any of the Malacca or Sin- 

 gapore collections, and only once got it myself, viz., in January, 

 1877, near Kuala Kangsa, Perak. Mine was a male, a perfect 

 marvel of rich metallic colouring. 



Dr. Stoliczka mentions having obtained this Honey-sucker in 

 Province Wellesley and Penang. 



1 know Penang Hill to be a particularly good locality for collect- 

 ing Cinnyridae, and expect that this species is more plentiful there 

 than anywhere else in the Straits, though, having stayed but a few 



