MACKLOT^S SUN-BIRD. 317 
with green instead of violet. There are several other allied species^ but 
none of them are likely to occur in Burmah. 
The Tenasserim Yellow-backed Sun-bird occurs commonly throughout 
Southern Pegu from Rangoon up to Pegu, and still further north of this 
town well up in the hills. I have also procured it on the banks of the 
Sittang river from its mouth up to Shwaygheen. Colonel Lloyd appears to 
have met with it at Tonghoo. Mr. Davison found it generally distributed 
in Tenasserim as far south as Tenasserim Town, and Capt. Bingham encoun- 
tered it in the Thoungyeen valley. It is not known whether it occurs in 
Arrakan. The Himalayan species, jE. seherice, may probably replace it in 
that Division. 
This beautiful bird, which is tolerably common, frequents flowering 
trees and shrubs. It subsists chiefly on the nectar or honey found in 
flowers, but it also seems to consume a considerable number of minute 
insects. It may frequently be seen searching the leaves of parasitic plants, 
and as these, as a rule, have no flowers, the bird must obviously be looking 
for insects. I believe that all the Sun-birds feed on insects more than is 
generally supposed. While feeding, these birds utter a few low twittering 
notes. The nest of this species has not yet been discovered, but it will 
probably be found to be of the same character as that of Cinnyris flammaxil- 
laris described below. 
Genus CHALCOSTETHA, Cabanis. 
301. CHALCOSTETHA PECTORALIS. 
MACKLOT^S SUN-BIRD. 
Nectarinia pectoralis*, Temm. PI. Col. 138. fig. 3. Nectarinia calcostetha, 
Jard. Mon. Sun-hii^ds, p. 263. Nectarinia insignis, Jard. Mon. Sun-birds^ 
p. 274 ; Goidd, P. Z. S. 1865, p. 663 (desc. orig.). Cinnyris macklotii, Bonap. 
Consp. Av. i. p. 408. Chalcostetha insignis, Wald. Ibis, 1870, p. 44 ; Salvad. 
Ucc. Born. p. 177 ; Htime, S. F. iii. p. 319 ; Shelley, Mon. Nect. pp. xxv, 87, 
pi. 30 ; Hume Sf Dav. S. F. vi. p. 183 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 89. Chalcostetha 
insperata, Hume, S.F. iii. p. 320 (footnote). 
Description. — Male. Forehead and crown metallic emerald- green ; sides 
of the head and neck, nape and upper back dull black ; lesser and median 
coverts, scapulars, lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts metallic green 
or purple, according to the light ; tail blue, edged with metallic green ; 
greater coverts and quills dark brown, slightly edged with metallic green 
* Nectarinia pectoralis, HoYsi., refers to a bird of another genus, and therefore Tem- 
minck's name for the present species is not invalidated by it. 
