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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1822 Excerpt: …short; the second shorter than the four next, which are of equal length. Ob.–Male generally with long feathers in the tail, and the side feathers under the wings rather lengthened. Generic Types. Cape Promerops, and Shining Creeper. Lath. Specific Character. C. aureo-viridis, alis cauddque fuscis; fasciis pectoralibus 2 connexis, anticd chalybeid, posticd angustd rubrd; caudoe tegminibus supe rioribus chalybeis. Golden green, with brown wings and tail, and narrow pectoral band, bordered above by another of steel blue; upper tail covers blue. Certhia chalybeia. Lin. Gmelin. 475. Ind. Orn. 1. 284. Brisson. 3 tab. 32./. 1.1 Le Soui-manga a collier. Vieill. Grimp. p. 40. pi. 13. 14. Collared Creeper. Latham, Syn. 2. 709. Gent. Zool. 8. 196. 1 His splendid family may be considered as the Hummingbirds of the old world, inhabiting (I think exclusively) the tropical regions of Africa and Asia. To the personal observations of M. Vaillant we owe the first, and indeed the PI. 95. only detailed account, of their real economy, and which this enterprising ornithologist remarked during his travels in Africa, and published in his work on the birds of that continent; a work which will be valued and consulted when most of the systems framed by closet naturalists will be forgotten. M. VaillanLrecords a singular fact respecting these birds: which is, that the males only assume their rich and vivid colours during the season of courtship; at other times they are scarcely to be known from the females, whose plumage in general is very plain. Another bird, veiy nearly resembling this, has been figured by M. Vaillant under the name of he Sucrier a Plastron rouge (Ois. d’Af. pi. 300.); his reasons, however, for separating them, are, I think, sufficient, at least until more forcible …