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AMAZILIA ELEGANS.

Klegant Amazili.

Erythronota ae Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1860, p. 307.—Id. Intr. Trochil. 8vo, p. 162
Eratina elegans, Heine, J. f.O. 18638, jo WAL.

Polytmus elegans, Gray, Hand-list of Birds, i. p. 133, no. 1699 (1869).

Sporadinus incertus, Mulsant, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, ii, p. 76 (1876).

Amazilia elegans, Elliot, Synopsis of the Humming-Birds, p. 226 (1878).

 

Mr. Gouxp had considerable doubts as to the position of this bird, the exact habitat of which still
remains unknown. Mr. Elliot has placed it in the genus Amazilia, but at the end of the genus, as if he too
considered it a little aberrant.

The following was the original description of the species, as published in 1860 :—

“Jt is a very elegant species, and quite distinct from every other known Humming-bird ; in its glittering
light-green crown, throat, and chest it looks like a Chlorostilbon, but the form of its tail and some other
characters ally it to the Evythronote, with which I have provisionally placed it.

« Adult. Crown and all the under surface of the body glittering light-green ; back of the neck and back
golden- or orange-green; upper tail-coverts purplish-red or puce-colour ; tail long, forked, and of a
purplish-violet hue with green reflexions on the tips of the two centre feathers; wings purplish-brown ;
tarsi white ; under tail-coverts grey with bronzy-purple centres ; upper mandible flesh-colour at the base,
ngth; under mandible flesh-colour, except at the tip, which is black.”

[R. B. S.J

and black for the remainder of its le

  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

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