59 
Ornithology of the Gold Coast. 
at certain seasons of the year, when it frequents the large 
flowering-trees of the forest in company with many other 
species. 
82. Nectarinia superba, Y.: Sharpe, p. 38. 
This species, although not so common as N. splendida and 
some other species, is not rare. Its habits appear to corre¬ 
spond in every degree with those of the above-named bird, 
which it excels, if possible, in the beauty of its plumage. 
83. Nectarinia joiiann^:, Verr.: Sharpe, p. 38. 
This beautiful Sunbird is of very rare occurrence on the 
Gold Coast, and I do not recollect having seen more than 
three specimens during a stay of many years. Those which 
I obtained have been from the interior. 
84. Nectarinia splendida (Shaw): Sharpe, p. 38. 
This beautiful little bird is widely distributed on the Gold 
Coast. There are very few places where the active little crea¬ 
ture cannot be observed sitting on flowering-shrubs and suc¬ 
culent plants. He generally selects some middling-sized shrub 
or bush for his nest, and he appears exceedingly attentive to 
the female during incubation. 
At certain seasons of the year (about the months of De¬ 
cember and January) great numbers can be observed flitting 
over the huge tulip-shaped scarlet flowers of a species of 
Bombay, which is of frequent occurrence in the open spaces 
of the forests of Fantee, the trees being at this time entirely 
denuded of foliage, so that the birds can easily be obtained by 
the collector, although in the upper branches they are almost 
invisible from their small size and quick movements. At this 
period they appear to associate freely with other birds; and 
from two trees in the neighbourhood of Cape Coast I have ob¬ 
tained specimens of N. splendida , N. superba , N. adelberti } N. 
chloropygia, N. subcollaris, N. cyanocephala, N. cyanolcema , 
and N. cuprea , &c. &c. After each shot they mostly plunged 
down en masse into the low bushes, but returned almost im¬ 
mediately to their feeding-grounds. The beauty of the plu¬ 
mage of N. splendida and N. superba can only be understood 
