J. C. Swan—Notes on a Voyage home from Africa in Winter 179


of any great importance. There were three specimens of the Usam-

bara Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyaris mediocris usamharica )—one

.a particularly fine specimen, the velvet-like gloss on its feathers by

■comparison with its condition when caught paying a high tribute

io the Horlick’s and honey diet ; another had moulted while in

Africa, and the wing feathers had turned white in the first moult,

which, by the way, disposes of the theory that loss of pigmentation

is due to absence of sun’s rays. These Sunbirds were caught while

on holiday in the Usambara Mountains, by baiting the flowers

they are partial to with a “ limed ” stick, placed so as to provide

,a natural perch, against the most likely tuft or spray which the bird

might select. The sticks must be watched, and as soon as the bird

.alights he is removed instantly and his feet washed with paraffin to

jremove all traces of lime.


After capture the bird is kept in a darkened cage for four days,

by which time he will have accustomed himself to the Horlick’s diet,

on which he must be hand-fed until he will feed himself.


The other Sunbirds comprised a Kirks [Chalcomitra amethystina

kirki), the first importation, I believe, into England, a Scarlet-chested

.Sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis inestimata), and a Zambezi Collared

■Sunbird [Anthre'ptes collaris zambeziana )—a beautiful little bird with

golden green and coppery markings on back and wing coverts. There

was an incident regarding this bird which might be worth mentioning.

I did not catch it myself but secured it from a native, and arranged

to call and collect it on my return home from business later in the

afternoon. When I called for the bird at about 6 p.m. I found it on the

bottom of the cage, lying on its side, but there were just signs of move¬

ment although its eyes were closed and its slender beak drooped on

do its chest when picked up. I noticed immediately that the bird was

without food (honey and water on which the natives feed them), and

it turned out that the native had forgot that afternoon when feeding

his birds to replace the food-pot. I put the bird in my handkerchief

(it could not stand, let alone fly) and rushed home with it, after having

put a few drops of the honey mixture into its beak.


I commenced hand-feeding it on a strong mixture of Horlick’s and

honey, a few drops at intervals, and kept the bird wrapped in cotton-


13



