AGYRTRIA TACZANOWS KIT.

Taezanowski’s Emerald.

Thaumasius taczanowskii, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soe. 1879, p. 146. —Tacz. tom

Id. Proc. Zool. Soe. 1880, p. 208. | }
Leucolia taczanowskii, ‘udes-Deslongchamps, Cat. Deser. Trochil. i. eee
Thaumatias taczanowskii, Tacz. Orn. Pérou, i. p. 405 (1884)

/

cit. p. 239.-—

 

Tuts species was described by Dr. Sclater from a specimen procured by Stolzmann at Guajango, in Peru.
It is allied to Agyriria viridiceps of Gould, but has a wach stronger bill and an even tail, and the spots on the
throat are much smaller. Mr. Stolzmann met with the species both at Guajango and Calacate. At the latter
place, he writes, ‘‘ it is common, visiting the male flowers of the banana trees. It affects the same places as
Cyanomyia cyanicollis. When perching on the dry leaves of the bananas it utters its song, composed of
couplets in four tones, three or four times repeated in succession. Often when I have been working in front
of my door, one of these Humming-birds has come to catch the mosquitoes, which are very abundant in that

o

s

*

locality. As I stood still, the bird came so close to me that I could feel the wind on my face, produced

by the vibration of its wing. I thus had the opportunity of observing the manner in which it seized the

if

mosquitoes, and [ an astonished to see that Burmeister denies this habit in the Humming-birds.

« At Guajango, in the valley of the Maraiion, this species is rare, but I have seen it several times about
the flowers of the gave.”

Dr. Taczanowski further adds that a specimen is in Dr. Raimondi’s collection from Paucal. Count
von Berlepsch believes that the species ought to be separated generically, as its form differs widely from
that of the members of the genus Agyrtra.

The following is a translation of Dr. Sclater’s original description :— .

“More metallic green, with a coppery gloss on the head; the feathers ashy underneath; wings dusky,
the coverts like the back; the tail equal, uniform with the back, with a copper
underneath dusky, coppery green towards the tip; the under surface of the body rollun, washed with pale
ashy ou the sides, and especially on the vent; the whole of the throat covered with tiny hear t-shaped spots

of shining green ; the bill strong and slightly curved. [R. B. S.J

y tinge towards the tip,

 

 

re BCP, SOME