oil the sides of the chest is scarcely perceptible when the wing is closed,” but with every movement o f the
body shows very conspicuously.
Mr. Blyth states that this bird “ visits the neighbourhood of Calcutta Only in the cold season, when it is
not uncommon. On its arrival both sexes are clad in the plumage refen-ed to N . atrmmria by Sykes, and
before tbey leave, all have more or less completely assumed their nuptial dress, which is also alike in both
sexes. In Nepaul it is probably a summer visitant only; and it extends westward to the Indus and southward
to Ceylon, but I have never seen it from the eastern side o f the Bay o f Bengal.”
The following interesting notes are from the pen of the late Captain Boys : •
" The native name of this species is SAuiur-X/ior, the signification o f which is precisely the same as that
of the generic name, heing literally ‘ Sngar-eater'
“ The young males resemble the females during the first year o f their existence, but assume the.full
plumage in the second, when the moulting commences on the breast and throat, where the iridescent colours
of the adult first appear.
"T h is bird feeds on the nectar of flowers and the minute insects frequenting the bottoms o f their corona,
which it procures by inserting its long tongue into the flower-cups. Although it almost always settles while
feeding, I have several times observed it extract honey from flowers while on the wing after th e m anner of
the Trochilidee, or Humming-birds.
" In 1829 I slightly wounded a male in the bastard wing, secured and brought it home : by some neglect
it was unthought o f for four days, when, on looking into the bag in which it had been placed, I found that it
was not only alive, but that the wing had completely cicatrized : I should observe, however, that the broken
part of the wing had been taken off with a pair o f scissors immediately after the bird was brought home. I
placed it in a cage and succeeded in keeping it alive for several weeks by feeding it upon sugar and water
of which it took great quantities; but, owing perhaps to a.want o f variety in its food, it became thinner and
thinner until it died. During its captivity it was very sprightly, and from the first day readily fed itself
by dipping its tongue into the dish of §yrup with which it was supplied.
“ The nest is rudely formed of dried grasses coated externally with cobwebs, and is generally difficult of
access, or hidden from observation.
“ The song of the male, though comprising but a few notes, is very sweet.
“ Specimens were procured at Sultanpore, Benares, Jan. 22, 1840, and at Jucunie, Nov. 14, 1841."
Captain Tytler, in his “ Notes on the Fauna of Dacca,” mentions that theNectarinia A s ia tic is common
and that it breeds amongst the bushes.
It will be observed that Captain Boys states that the nest of this species is rudely constructed •
Mr. Layard, on the other hand, informs us that “ the nests o f N . Lotenia and N . A s ia tic are elegant domed
structures, generally suspended from the extremity of a twig of some low bush artfully covered with cobweb
in which I have often seen the spider still weaving her tods, having extended the web to the surrounding
branches, thus rendering the deception still more effective; and it would seem that the birds were aware of
it, and left their helper undisturbed.
“ The entrance to the nest, which, if built in a bush, is always turned inwards, is screened from the sun
and rain by a portico projecting often above an inch beyond the walls. The eggs usually are from two to
four, of a whitish ground-colour, so closely speckled with minute dusky spots as to. appear grey. They
weigh from 3 i. gr. 1. to 3 i. gr. 6, while the parent bird is only 3 ii. heavier. The young males are clad
in the lively of the female, but a t the first moult assume the proper g a rb ; the brilliant metallic hues first
appearing m a long line down the breast.”
The male has the head, wing-coverts and upper surface shining greenish pu rp le; wings and tail brownish
lilatdt, margined externally with purple; sides of the neck shining green, with a wash of blue down the centre
and bounded below by a band of deep r e d ; on each side o f the chest a tuft of scarlet and yellow feathers ■
B g black- glossed B deeP B ; eyes brown ; bill and legs black; roof o f the mouth yellow.
The female has all the upper surface pale greyish brown; under surface pale yellow; wings brown with
whitish edges ; tail brownish black, the two outer feathers tipped with white.
The young male at first resembles the female, but as it advances in age gradually assumes the plumage
o f maturity; during the transition, the future metallic colouring o f the upper surface is indicated by Ae
appearance of a few feathers of that hue at the back of the neck, on the shoulders and other parts and of
the under surface by a broad streak of purple down the throat and a dark patch on the abdomen
The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size.