Annals of the Transvaal Museum 
251 
characters that are found only in the males; but no such objection has 
been raised in the case of the Weavers, so that the inconsistency of authors 
in this respect is worth recording. But even without regard to colour, it 
is still possible to define the limits of the genera, and when we have to deal 
with the species a knowledge of where they occur is frequently all that is 
required for purposes of their identification. I shall therefore in the 
following review point out the essential structural characters and supple- 
ment this with an account of the colour differences. Chalcomitra Rchb., 
type C. amethystina (Shaw), differs from all the rest of our genera in having 
the outermost tail feather of the same length as the next one. The genus 
contains two groups, which for the present may be regarded as subgenera 
only, the typical one having the throat black like the body and C. guttu- 
ralis (L.), which has the throat scarlet; for the latter I propose the new sub- 
generic name of Baptothorax. Parallel species of the two groups occur 
far beyond our borders, so that the difference cannot be regarded as a 
local one. 
The remaining species may be divided into two major groups for 
convenience, characterised by the length of the bill, the long-billed species 
being those which have the bill measured from the nostrils to the tip longer, 
and the short-billed species with the bill measured in the same way shorter 
than the tarsus. The typical Cinnyris, into which most of the African 
species have been thrust, is typified by C. splendidus of West Africa, and is 
characterised by having the tail under two- thirds of the length of the wing, 
and in this respect differing from the rest of our genera. Of the remaining 
long-billed genera, Anthohaphes Cab., type A. violacea (L.), is characterised 
by having the tail very strongly graduated in both sexes, the feathers 
narrow and more pointed than in other genera. The next in order of simple 
identification in both sexes is Nectarinia, genotype N. famosa (L.), which 
has the second primary longer than the sixth; the male has the whole of 
the plumage above and below, in summer, bright metallic green, yellow 
pectoral tufts and the middle pair of tail feathers much elongated. A 
number of other genera have been lumped with this genus simply because 
they have the middle tail feathers elongated in the male, amongst them 
the totally different Anthohaphes. In East Africa Nectarinia famosa of 
South Africa is represented by N. cupreonitens , besides which there are 
two large species occupying separate mountain heights and belonging to 
another subgenus. In East Africa we find also still more long-t ailed genera 
which seem to be allied to short-tailed genera of the same or adjacent 
territories, of which may be mentioned, Hedidipna metallica and “ Anth- 
reptes ” venusta, Platydipna platyura and “ Anthreptes ” rectirostris, Panaeola 
pulchella and ''Anthreptes'’ anchietae. Besides these, there are other long- 
tailed genera in East Africa, one of which occurs within our limits, namely 
"Nectarinia” arturi P. L. Sclater; this genus would seem to be allied to 
the short- tailed genus, Aidemonia, and may be characterised as having the 
second j^rimary shorter than the sixth and longer than the seventh, larger 
in size than those with the same wing formula, but smaller than Nectarinia, 
males with the middle pair of tail feathers much elongated and in colour 
bronzy on a blackish background over the upper parts to the chest, the 
remaining underparts without the bronzy sheen, and no pectoral tufts. No 
name being available for this genus I propose to name it Sclatlrornis gen, 
17 
