RHAMPHOMICRON DORSALE, Salv. & Godm.

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Simons’s Thorn-bill.

Rhamphomicron dorsale, O. Salvin & F. D. Godman, Ibis, 1880, p. 172, pl. v. figs. 1, 2.

 

Tuis beautiful species was discovered by Mr. Simons during his exploration in the Sierra Nevada of
Santa Marta, Colombia, and was described by Messrs. Salvin and Godman, to whom I am much indebted
for the loan of the typical specimens.

The female was first procured by Mr. Simons, who found it flitting about a small stream in a wood at an
altitude of 9200 feet, on the 17th of July 1879; and on the 23rd of the same month he fell in with the male,
which was shot on the grassy slope of a hill at a height of 2000 feet above the sea, far from bushes and
trees.

The present species cannot well be mistaken, the colour of its back at once distinguishing it from Rham-
phomicron microrhynchum. Messrs. Salvin and Godman have given an excellent description of both sexes,
accompanied by an admirable plate of the species, drawn by Mr. Keulemans: I translate their account of
the bird as follows :—

«Adult male. Above black, slightly shaded with greenish, the rump narrowly bronzy purplish ; wings dusky ;
the tail, which is deeply forked, purplish black; sides of the head and neck deep black; throat very
brilliant greenish golden ; abdomen pale dusky brown, washed with greenish golden, especially on the flanks ;
vent dull whitish, each feather marked down the middle with a greenish spot ; bill short, a little curved,
black ; feet black. Total length 4:2 inches, wing 2°3, tail 0°, outer tail-feather 2°0, central one 1°15, bill
from gape 0°5.” The iris is given by Mr. Simons as “ dark brown.”

“The female is green above, with the upper tail-coverts bronzy purplish, the tail purplish black, the outer
underneath whitish, the throat and flanks spotted with greenish gold; the

feathers tipped with white ; 2
tail-feather 1:6 inch, centre tail-

middle of the throat marked with a few greenish-gold feathers ; outer
feather 1:1.”

The figures in the Plate are those of two adult males
Salvin and Godman.

and female, of the natural size, and they are drawn

from the type speciinens lent to me by Messrs.

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