ZODALIA ORTONL.

Quito Purpleback.

Lesbia orton, Lawr. Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, 1869. vol Ix. p. 269
Zodalia ortoni, Muls. Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, tom. iii. p. 282

 

Elliot, Syn. p. 149.

 

Since the closing of my ‘ Monoer : ce ade ee = : :
Since the g y ‘Monograph of the Humming-birds,’ tw enty years ago, many fine Humming-birds

have been discovered. The Zodalia ortoni is one of the gayest. The first and only known male was taken
in the Quito valley, Ecuador, about 1869, and now graces the Museum of Vassar College, New York. Itis
a little surprising that the late Dr. Jameson never found this fine Humming-bird at Quito, although he
lived at that place nearly all his life. ;

I consider that M. Mulsant is right in separating this species generically, and have often regretted that
my friend Lawrence did not apply a new generic name to this very singular bird, particularly as he
himself hinted at the end of his description, ‘ perhaps the two species should be placed in a new genus.”

The female of this species is the property of Mr. O. Salvin, and was, I believe, obtained from a
collector who stated he brought it from Quito, close to the place where the male was procured. This
female, unlike other Sylphs, has a short forked tail with the outer feathers rather pointed.

The narrow-tailed bird from Quito, Zodalia ortoni, and the broad.-tailed from Popayan, Cometes glyceria,
are said to be of the same form. This opinion I cannot agree with. The light luminous throat-mark of the
birds which we now call sparganura runs down to a point; the tail-feather is very broad ; the throat-mark
of ortoni is of a richer green, and similar in shape to that of Leshia Gouldi.

I will now give a part of Mr. Lawrence’s description of this fine bird :—‘ In both glyceria and orton
the tail is shorter than in members of Cometes or Lesbia. The bill is like that of Lesdia. Perhaps the two

species should be placed in a new genus. The upper colouring of orton? is somewhat like that of

Ramphomicron microrhynchus, but is of a lighter shade and less shining. In the under plumage it
resembles Z. amaryllis ; but the breast is of a darker green, more uniform in colour, as the buff bases
and edges of the feathers are less apparent. The gorgets of amaryllis and ortont are much alike in colour
and extent.

“Male. Entire upper plumage and wing-coverts of a rich glossy purple, the concealed bases of the feathers
are green; upper tail-coverts similar in colour to the back, but marked centrally between the purple and
green with crimson ; the tail-feathers are brownish black, except the two central, which are green; the

ends of the eight middle feathers are largely marked with a deep vinous bronzy crimson, most in extent on

the short central feathers ; the outer feather on each side ends with obscure bronzy green ; the outer edge of

the lateral feather is buff for three quarters of its length from the base, this colour occupying only about one
third the width of the web; the under surface of the tail is steel-blue, bronzy at the ends of the feathers ;
ateral feathers are whitish at base for about half their length ; wings brownish
a brilliant metallic pale green ; the sides of the neck, breast, upper part
abdomen ashy buff; bill and feet black.”

all the feathers of the

the shafts of the two long |
purple; the throat-gorget is of
of abdomen, and sides are of a shining green ; lower part of

Mr. Salvin’s female, which he has lent to me, has the crown, nape, shoulders, and
rump green ; the centre of the throat and middle of the underside are most minutely speckled, almost solid
on the flanks; under tail-coverts buff, a very littl
tail is very attractively coloured for a female bird ;
fal for the loan of both sexes, neither of which I possess.

e greenish white on the underside of the tarsus. The
three or four of the blue feathers are tipped with

green. For myself I am thank

Male. Total length 53 inches, wing 4, tail 3x6. |
Female. Total length 43 inches, wing De emtcullez ass bill 2 a ‘tecalice (ee
The accompanying Plate represents two males in different positions and a female, all of the natura size.

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