254 
PLOTUS MELAKOGASTER. 
will occupy the same tree for a series of yeai's. Th®! 
commonly sit on a stump, which rises out of the wat®''' 
in the mornings of the spring, and spread their wiof. 
to the sun, from which circumstance they have obtain®® 
the appellation of sun birds. They are diflScult to ^ 
shot when swimming, in consequence of only tb®'^ 
heads being above the water.” . 
Never having seen a specimen of the black-helli®'^ 
darter of Senegal and Java, I cannot give an opini®® 
touching its identity with ours. 
