320 * BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
303. CINNYRIS FLAMM AXILLARIS; 
THE BURMESE YELLOW-BREASTED SUN-BIRD. 
Nectarinia jugularis, Bl. J. A. S. B. xii. p. ^79. Nectarinia flammaxillaris, 
Bl. J. A. S. B. xiv. p. 557. Arachneclitlira flammaxillaris, Wold. T. Z. S. 
1866, p. 541 ; id. Ibis, 1870, p. 24 ; Hume, Nests and Egys, p. 154 ; Bl. B. Burm. 
p. 141 j Armstrong, 8. F. iv. p. 318 ; Oates, S. F. v. p. 148, vii. p. 40 ; Hume ^ 
Dav. S. F. yi. p. 192. Cinnyris flammaxillaris, Shelley, Mon. Nect. pp. xxxv, 
161, pi. 51 ; Hume, 8. F. yiii. p. 90 ; Oates, 8. F. x. p. 197. 
Description. — Male. Eoreliead^ crown_, sides of the head, back, scapulars, 
rump and upper tail-coverts greenish brown ; tail black, the centre feathers 
narrowly tipped with white_, the others progressively with larger white 
tips j chin, throat and breast rich metallic purple^, bordered by rich steel- 
blue ; below the breast a band of orange-red^ and another, broader, below 
it black ; axillaries flaine-red ; abdomen, sides of the body, vent and 
under tail-coverts yellow ; wings and coverts brown, edged with greenish 
brown ; under wing-coverts yellowish white ; edge of the wing bright 
yellow. 
The female has the upper plumage, wings and tail like the male, but the 
lower plumage is entirely yellow. 
The young male is like the female till the following spring-moult, when 
it assumes the adult plumage. The orange-red pectoral band increases in 
size and intensity with age. 
Iris light brown ; eyelids plumbeous ; legs and claws deep bluish black ; 
mouth light salmon-colour; bill blackish. In the breeding-season the 
mouth becomes livid. 
Length 4*5 inches, tail 1-4, wing 2'1, tarsus '55, bill from gape '8. The 
female is very slightly smaller. 
An allied species_, C. rhizophorce, from China (Hainan), differs in having 
the forehead metallic blue. 
The Burmese Yellow-breasted Sun-bird appears to be found over the 
whole of British Burmah. Mr. Blyth records it from Arrakan. In Pegu 
I have met with it over every part of the southern portion that I have 
visited; Capt. Wardlaw Ramsay procured it at Rangoon, where I also 
found it most plentiful ; and Dr. Armstrong records it from the Irrawaddy 
Delta. I failed to observe this species in Northern Pegu^ either above 
Henzadah on the Irrawaddy river, or above Shwaygheen on the Sittang 
river. Mr. Davison states that it is spread over Tenasserim, but that it is 
more plentiful in the southern portions than elsewhere, and Capt. Bingham 
found it plentiful in the Thoungyeen valley. Capt. Beavan secured it at 
Kyodan and on the Sal ween river. 
