176 
SPLENDID SUN-BIRD. 
Nectarinia splendida, Shaw. 
PLATE T. 
This is a large species, and certainly, when the 
male is seen in his full breeding dress, one of the 
most gorgeously dressed of the whole tribe. Le 
Vaillant found this bird in the country of the Great 
Namaqua, near the Pish River, but only during the 
season of incubation ; so that it is probable a more 
western locality may be its true and continuous 
habitation. It is introduced by Mr. Swainson in 
his Birds of Western Africa, and our own speci- 
mens were received, by the attention of Dr. W. 
Fergusson, from the vicinity of Sierra Leone. In 
the country of the Namaquas the nest was placed 
in the worm-eaten trunks of mimosa trees, and 
contained from four to five entirely white eggs.* 
The total length of the adult male, measured 
from Sierra Leone specimens, is from five inches 
and a half to five and three-quarters, being nearly 
an inch longer than the measurements given by 
Mr. Swainson. The back of the neck, back, shoul- 
ders, and uppor and under tail-coverts, are brilliant 
golden green, varying with every change of light ; 
* Le Vaillant, vi. p. 163. 
