AMETHYST THROATED SUNBIRD. 135 
son, the male assumes the dull olive-coloured plum- 
age of the female, hut retains its green front and 
amethystine throat. Le Vaillant affirms that he 
found its nest, built in thick bushes, or in the holes 
of trees ; and that it lays six grey eggs, spotted with 
olive-green. 
The general colour of the adult male is deep vel- 
vet-black, without any gloss or variation of the tint, 
except on the wings and tail, which are lighter and 
inclined to brown : the fore half of the head is of a 
rich emerahl-green, glossed with golden ; while on 
the chin, and half way down the middle of the 
throat, there is a large patch of changeable ame- 
thystine purple : this splendid colour is also on the 
tips of the upper tail-covers, and forms a spot at the 
angle of the carpal joint of the wing : the female 
we have not seen : the bill is more than usually 
curved. 
Total length, 6 T % inches ; bill, 1 T ® 3 ; wings, al- 
most 3 ; tail beyond, | ; ditto, from the base, 2 ; 
tarsus, iV 
