COLLECTIONS OF L. FRASER. 
NECTARINIA TEPHROLiEMUS, Jaud. & Eras. 
No. 136. 
A single specimen of this bird occurs. 
NECTARINIA EASCIATA, Jaud. & Fras. (April, 1852.) 
No. 278. 
This species is near to N. bifasciata, but we have reason to 
believe, that the West African species will prove distinct. In 
notes which we made on M. Bourcier’s collection, purchased by 
Mr. Edward Wilson, and unfortunately lost on its transmission to 
America, there was a specimen from Sierra Leone, marked with 
an ? , which differed in the distribution of the pectoral band, but 
being the only one we had then examined, we were unwilling to 
separate. The specimen before us is similar to the descriptions of 
N. bifasciata in the upper plumage, but the whole chin and throat 
arc rich green. The fore-part of the neck and upper breast is rich 
violet, and is succeeded by dull vermillion (without any band of 
separation), which stretches down upon the sides of breast upon the 
flanks, the centre of the vent and under tail-coverts only being 
black ; axillary tufts arc pale yellow. 
Length, 5.8; bill to forehead, 1.2; wing to third, 2 . 8. 
There are at least four distinct species of the very difficult form 
Drymoica in the collection, none of which we can exactly reconcile 
with figures or descriptions. In regard to the latter, it is almost 
impossible to separate most of the species by them alone. The 
birds themselves resemble each other so generally, that the descrip- 
tion of one will serve for that of another, unless when some promi- 
nent mark or stripe is present to be laid hold of as characteristic. 
No. 182 is near to D. mystacea , Riipp., except in having a slight 
sienna tint on the crown, and wanting the superciliary stripe. In 
other respects, the descriptions w r ould agree. 
Length, 4.6; wing, 2.1. 
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