SELASPHORUS ARDENS, Salvin.

° 9 |
Salvin’s Flame-bearer. A

Selasphorus ardens, Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 209.—Scel. & Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. Hh

P- 84 (1873).—Muls. Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, iv. p- 103 (1877).—Elliot, NA HA
Synopsis of the Humming-Birds, p. 110 (1878). |

 

Tue species of the genus Selasphorus, as pointed out by Mr. Elliot, are distinguished by tel calonaoaatners WA

throats ; and in the present species and SS. platycercus the throat has been characterized by him as “dark
amethystine-red.” 8. ardens differs from S. platycercus in being smaller, and in having the flanks and |
abdomen dark green instead of grey. Mr. Salvin has given the following notes on the species — |

“This species has the throat coloured just as in JS. platycercus, which is in other respects a very different i
species. Its nearest allies, however, are §. flammula and S. torridus ; but it differs from both in the |
coloration of the throat, and also in having the central tail-feathers black, edged with rufous instead of
green: this latter distinction is more conspicuous when the tail is compared with that of S. flammula. |
The wholly black bill and the absence of the elongated gular feathers distinguish it from 4S. torridus. |
The male sent by Arcé is not in quite perfect plumage, but is so far satisfactory as to show a few faded |
feathers on the throat. These are bronzy, and quite different in colour from the gorget-feathers of either
S. flammula or S. torridus.” |

The following complete description of the sexes has been borrowed from Mr. Elliot’s work above alluded | | \E
i@ == |

“* Male. Upper parts dark bronzy green, lores and ear-coverts rufous, the latter mixed with black. Throat
metallic amethystine-red. Breast, middle of abdomen, and under tail-coverts white, flanks dark green, which |
colour almost meets on the upper part of breast. Tail purplish-black, both webs of middle feathers and
inner webs of lateral ones margined with rufous. Wings purplish brown. Bill black. Total length

= Inches, wing 12, tail 12, culmen 3.

“ Female. Upper parts bronzy green, margined with rufous on the sides of lower part of back and rump. |
Throat buffy white, spotted with brown. Breast white. Underparts buff. Middle tail-feathers bronzy
green, lateral ones buff with a black bar across their central part. Bill black.”

I am indebted to Messrs. Salvin and Godman for the loan of the pair of birds from which the figures in the
Plate are taken. | Ht

Rosy-throated Flame-bearer. HH AN |

Selasphorus flammula, Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 586.—Scl. & Salv. Nomencl. Av. HH
Neotr. p. 84 (1873).—Mulsant, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, iv. p. 99 (1877).— | | |
Elliot, Synopsis of the Humming-Birds, p. 110 (1878).

 

a metallic rosy-red colour, which renders it a conspicuous bird. Its | |

The throat in this species is of
a; and nothing seems to be known of its habits, which,

habitat appears to be confined to Costa Rica and Veragu
however, are doubtless similar to those of the other Selasphori. i HH
The descriptions of both sexes are here copied from Mr. Elliot’s work above quoted :— .
‘‘ Male. Upper parts shining grass-green. ‘Throat metallic rose-red. Breast and middle of abdomen white.