Seee eee eee eek . sore We alle ahs ote. SATS x. le Se, ‘J eer rrr tre tt s > AAPOR AR REE ER ERE EASE LEA EEE CER A ue . = a ee ee x > a ae aT eee oy .* 7) e i Se Tea a ae aS ¥ OEE A MONOGRAPH THE TROCHILID OR FAMILY OF HUMMING-BIRDS. JOHN GOULD, F.R.S., F.LS., V.P. AND F.Z.S., M.E.S., F.R.GEOG.S., MRAY S., CORR. MEMB. OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF TURIN; OF THE SOC. OF THE MUSEUM OF NAT, HIST. OF STRASBOURG; FOR. MEMB, OF THE NAT. HIST. SOC. OF NURN 3ERG, AND OF THE IMP. NAT. HIST. SOC. OF MOSCOW; HON. MEMB. OF THE NAT. HIST. SOC. OF DARMSTADT; OF THE NAT. HIST. AND THE NAT, HIST. AND MED. SOCS. OF DRESDEN; OF THE ROY. SOC. OF TASMANIA; OF THE ROY, ZOOL. SOC. OF IRELAND; OF THE PENZANCE NAT. HIST. SOC.; OF THE WORCESTER NAT. HIST. SOC.; OF THE NORTHUMBERLAND, DURHAM, AND NEWCASTLE NAT. HIST. SOC.; OF THE IPSWICH MUSEUM; OF THE ORN. SOC. OF GERMANY; OF THE DORSET COUNTY MUSEUM AND LIBRARY; OF THE ROYAL UNITED SERVICE INSTITUTION, ETC. IN FIVE VOLUMES. VOL. V. i. © I 1D © IN: PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET. PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, 26 CHARLOTTE STREET, BEDFORD SQUARE. 1861. [THE AUTHOR RESERVES TO HIMSELF THE RIGHT OF TRANSLATION.] LIST Cyanomyia quadricolor . = l@li@Z OS cyanocephala Francie cyanocollis Amazilia Ocai ; Leucippus chionogaster . Leucochloris albicollis Thaumatias candidus chionopectus === llomcogasiier viridiceps —— Milleri ——— nitidifrons DD RCMInOSuGIS athinis === Cmonuwrne albiventris —_— immer Amazilia pristina = —— alliicola Dumerili . leucophzea corallirostris Yucatanensis cerviniventris castaneiventris. — —— Riefferi beryllina . — —— Pevillei SGOT Kary amen Erythronota antiqua —§— Felicie —— Edwardi . ——— niveiventris === elegans Saucerottel — Sophie OF VOL. PLATES. V. Saucerottia cyanifrons Eupherusa eximia . Chrysuronia Ginone Josephine Humboldti : : Elicize chrysura . Eucephala Grayi smaragdo-cerulea chlorocephala . — ceruleo-lavata hypocyanea cerulea Panterpe insignis Juliamyia typica Circe latirostris Doubledayi Pheoptila sordida . Damophila amabilis Hylocharis sapphirina lactea cyanea. : : : ; Sapphironia Goudoti ceruleogularis . Sporadinus elegans Ricordi ? Maugeei. Chlorostilbon auriceps Caniveti — Osoerin augustipennis Phaethon : : ; prasinus (misspelt Chlorostilbona prasina) == Atala Alicize Poortmanni Smaragdochrysis iridescens Phlogophilus hemileucurus 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 335 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 A 9h >| ( iB i id Cand HC Kechter del c Lyeh, Aidt’mande | 5 i | HINT EIN U HTTIILAY INI | L 4 2 2 2 yy ve Lia WI CYANOMYIA QUADRICOLOR. Red-billed Azure-crown. Trochilus quadricolor, Vieill. Ency. Méth. Orn., part u. p. 573. Ornismya cyanocephala, Less. Supp. des Ois. Mou., Dees eep le lize Polytmus quadricolor, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 109, Polytmus, sp. 85. Cyanomya quadricolor, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 204. Uranomitra quadricolor, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, pO: I pevieve I am right in stating that this species is exclusively confined to Mexico, as it is from that country alone that I have seen examples. I make this remark because M. Lesson states, in the Supplement to his History of the Humming Birds, that the bird inhabits Brazil,—a statement it is but right to correct. Numerous specimens were from time to time transmitted to this country by M. Floresi d’Areais, before his untimely death in the pestilential region of Panama. The bright coral-red bill, contrasted with the beautiful azure-blue of the crown and the white under surface, renders this species remarkably different from the other members of its genus, all of which, though plain in their general colouring, possess many pleasing features to recommend them to our notice: unfortunately, of their habits but little is known; we have, therefore, a wide field of inquiry before us, into which it is to be hoped future naturalists will enter, for it cannot be doubted that to each peculiar form some essential difference in their habits and manners will be found to appertain. There is not a very marked difference in the colouring of the sexes of the present species, nor indeed of any member of the genus, except that the blue colouring of the head is much fainter in the female than in the male, and the outer feathers of her tail are tipped with dull greyish white. Neither of them exhibit any metallic brilliancy of plumage ; their beauty, in fact, consists in the contrasted tints and agreeable tone of their delicate colouring. Crown of the head fine blue, continued in a series of spots on the sides of the neck; all the upper surface and wings pale brown, with a slight tinge of green on the upper part of the back ; tail-coverts pale bronzy brown, fringed with greyish white ; tail pale bronzy brown ; all the under surface pure white; bill coral-red, darker at the tip. The figures are of the natural size. _ a N01 TI 4| 5 3 2 iy aa 1 i a os es or CYANOMYIA VIOLICEPS, Gow. Violet-Crown. Cyanomyia violiceps, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 3rd series, vol. iv. p. 97.—Sclat. in Proce. of Zool. Soc., part xxvii. p. 386. I pip not expect that so fine a bird as the Cyanomyia violiceps could have remained so long undiscovered in the comparatively well-known country of Mexico; the merit of bringing it at length to light is due to M. Salle, who obtained two specimens at Oaxaca, in Western Mexico. In point of affinity, this new a bird which has hitherto stood alone in its own species is most nearly allied to the Cyanomyia quadricolor genus for the purity of the uniform whiteness of its under surface; but that character, we now find, is equally shared by the bird here represented, which differs, however, from its ally in having a larger and some- what forked tail, in the violet colouring of its crown, and in having a longer and darker bill, which, more- over, is not so broad at the base. One of the two specimens which grace my collection is either a female or a young bird (it is represented in the upper figure of the accompanying Plate); this specimen differs from the male in not having a trace of violet colour on the crown, in the tail-feathers being reddish bronze, very slightly tipped with buff, and the feathers of the lower part of the back narrowly edged with greyish brown. Now this narrow edging of the feathers is generally indicative of youth among Humming-Birds, and there can be but little doubt, therefore, that I am right in considering the specimen in question to be immature. The male has the crown of the head deep violet-blue; all the upper surface and wing-coverts brown, tinged with olive-green; wings purplish brown ; tail deep greenish bronze; all the under surface white; bill black ; under mandible flesh-colour ; feet blackish brown. The female, or young bird, has the crown ashy brown; upper surface olive-green, each feather margined with greyish olive; tail-coverts and tail coppery bronze, tipped with greyish olive ; under surface white, stained with rusty red on the flanks. The Plate represents two males and the supposed female, of the natural size. The plant is the Cereus Leeanus. Aa: ar Xa oe ~ = IAN TN BG x ey re a Won 7 ® =" ae Cae ae ER = eG — Ba es a by ae Za i \ Al — PS a ) | a ey iu { i ‘h : | ys } s y a ; “g x ‘ Qj +f F) 3 , 6 p a ba : ec — aS ton i} Si “A CYANOMYIA CYANOCEPHALA. Black-billed Azure-crown. Ornismya cyanocephala, Less. Supp. des Ois. Mou., p. 134. pl. 18. So great is the confusion which exists respecting the synonymy and species of this form, that I might be held excused were I to give new specific appellations to at least two of them, namely the one here repre- sented, and the one I have figured as Cyanomyia quadricolor ; the case is very different with the C. Francie of M. Bourcier and the C. cyanicollis of myself, as the types of both of these are in existence and well known. Lesson states that the guadricolor and the cyanocephala both inhabit Brazil; but the truth is, that the form does not exist in that country. The present bird, for which I retain the name of cyanocephala, rather than add another to the already too numerous synonyms of the group, like the guadricolor, is a native of Mexico and Guatemala: it is found rather abundantly in the neighbourhood of Orizaba, whence numerous examples have been sent to England by M. Botta, none of which offer the slightest difference from those collected in the more southern regions of Guatemala by M. Riviera Paz, and sent to me direct by Mr. Skinner. The Cyanomyia cyanocephala is not so finely coloured as the Bogota species, C. Francie, the only one with which it could be confounded. The only external difference observable in the sexes consists in the blue crown being nearly obsolete in the female. Crown of the head and occiput shining greenish blue; all the upper surface, wing-coverts, and flanks bronzy green ; wings purplish brown; tail greenish bronze; throat and centre of the abdomen white; under tail-coverts greyish olive, fringed with white; sides of the neck green, but less brilliant than in C. Francie ; bill black. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Habrothamnus fasciculatus. a esa ts 5 \7 \ 1. \NOM 1 CYANOMYIA FRANCIAL. Francia’s Azure-Crown. Trochilus Francie, Boure. Rev. Zool. 1846, p. 316.—Ib. Ann. Sci. Phys. &c. de Lyon, 1848, p. 324. Uranomitra Francie, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p. 10. Cyanomyia francia, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254.—Sclat. in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxi. p. 141. Polytmus Francie, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. 1., p. 109, Polytmus, sp. 87. Or the five or six known species of the genus Cyanomyia the C. Francie may be regarded as the most beautiful, inasmuch as it is characterized by a far greater amount of glittering colour than any of its con- geners, and by these glittering hues predominating on the sides and nape of the neck—parts not generally adorned with any fine colouring; there are, however, exceptions to all rules in the colouring of Humming- Birds, and this is a case in point. The glittering of the parts referred to is so resplendent, that it is out of the power of any person, I believe, to portray them; hence art and device are in this instance at a nonplus. In the accompanying Plate a representation of these feathers is attempted with the ordinary media. If the reader can imagine the neck-plumes to be lit up with the most brilliant and glittering light possible, he may have some faint idea of their loveliness; it is only, however, in certain lights that these splendid colours appear ; particular states of the atmosphere, or a certain condition of light, are requisite to see them in all their brilliancy. Viewed from behind, an obscure tint is alone visible; reverse the position, so that the rays of light fall upon the bird at a certain angle, and you become at once astonished at the difference. I believe the female of this species has no brilliant colouring on the crown,—at least we have not yet received any example thus adorned; if, then, this conjecture be correct, the upper figure in the opposite Plate represents this sex. M. Bourcier tells us that he has named this species im honour of a Mademoiselle Francia Bourcier, who is, I believe, his amiable daughter. Crown of the head shining metallic blue; sides and nape of the neck glittering metallic light green ; upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy green, changing into coppery red on the lower part of the back and upper tail-coverts ; wings purplish brown ; tail bronze; throat, centre of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts snow-white; flanks bronzy green; upper mandible and tip of the lower one black; remainder of the under mandible fleshy ; feet dark brown. The female or young male has the crown green ; only a trace of the coppery hue on the upper tail-coverts, and the lateral tail-feathers crossed by an obscure dark band. The Plate represents two males and the female, or young male, of the natural size. The plant is the Cuphea cordata. POENSY DY s r ih DB Wa BYAd n ii (J i 5 5 iy < Ny — es ||| IIH 5 aA vs ae ‘ =o} iS <= to i fh = = \y ) — “ I Pipi? WaltowL™Y Li lltnanMee aka to See THAUMATIAS CHIONURUS, Gowda. White-tailed Emerald. Trochilus (Thaumatias ?) chionura, Gould in Proe. of Zool. Soe., 1850, p. 162. I wave before had occasion to remark how different are the species inhabiting Mexico, or the country to the northward of the Isthmus of Panama, from those of the southern portions of the continent of South America, and the present species may be cited as a striking instance in point; for while it is of precisely the same form as its near allies, the well-known Thaumatias albirostris and T. brevirostris of Brazil, in colouring it is very different from both of those birds; in fact it may be said to differ from every other known species of Humming-Bird, from the great amount of white which pervades the under surface and the tail-feathers. It is a native of the warmer parts of Chiriqui, near David, in the province of Veragua, at an altitude of from two to three thousand feet; and is another of the many interesting discoveries made by M. Warszewiez, who met with it in the locality above named, and from whence he transmitted the specimens figured in the accompanying Plate. The male has the upper surface very dark grass-green; the central tail-feathers bronzy green; lateral tail-feathers white, largely tipped with black; throat pale shining green; flanks greenish; centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts white ; upper mandible black, base of the lower mandible fleshy white. The upper surface of the female is the same as in the male, but somewhat paler ; the lateral tail-feathers white, crossed by an oblique band, instead of being tipped with black ; throat and under surface white. The Plate represents a male and two females on the Sobralia macrantha, of the natural size. fe eee ee ee ee ee THAUMATIAS ALBIVENTRIS. White-bellied Emerald. Trochilus tephrocephalus, Vieill. Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxii. p. 430.—Ib. Ency. Méth. Orn., part i. p. 560.—Ib. Traité d’Orn., p. 283. Ormsmya tephrocephalus, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 182. pl. 62. —__— albwentris, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 209. pl. 76.—Ib. Les Troch., p. 94. pl. 32.—Ib. Traité d’Orn., p. 283. Polytmus thaumatias, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. 1. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 40. Coeligena tephrocephala, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 7.—Ib. Troch. enumer., p. 3. pl. pctxxxvit. fig. 4518. Argytria albwentris, Reichenb. Troch. enumer., p. 7. pl. pecivit. figs. 4744, 4745. Thaumatias albiventris, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 78, Thaumatias, sp. 1. Thaumantias albiventris, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255. Turs well-marked species differs from all the other members of its genus in being of a larger size than either of them, and in having a greater amount of white on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. The two sexes are so much alike in outward appearance that I have looked in vain for any decided difference by which they may be distinguished ; I observe, however, that the female, as is the case with most of the Humming Birds, is somewhat smaller and less pure in her colouring. M. Bourcier informs me that this bird inhabits Santa Catharina, in Brazil, and remarks that it bears a great resemblance to the Zhaumatias Linnei, but differs from that species in the larger size of its body, and in the abdomen being always white in the adult. M. Bourcier also tells me, that the specimen from which Vieillot took his description of tephrocephalus is still in the museum at Paris, but in a very bad state, with the feathers of the head much worn and faded, and presenting a grey appearance, which doubtless suggested the appellation Vieillot assigned to it, and which, being intended to express a feature that does not exist, must give place to that of albiventris, applied to it by M. Lesson. Besides Santa Catharina, the northern parts of Brazil, and the Delta of the Amazon, near its embouchure, and the neighbouring country are frequented by this bird. Head, all the upper surface, wing- and tail-coverts dark green; wings purplish brown; two central tail- feathers and the basal portion of the remainder dull green, the extent of which decreases as they recede from the centre, middle portion of the lateral feathers blackish brown; the tips brownish grey, increasing in extent as the feathers recede from the centre; throat and chest shining grass-green ; flanks dull green ; abdomen and under tail-coverts white. The figures represent the two sexes of the size of life. The plant is copied from a drawing sent to me by Mr. Reeves. S ZS Ae * 5% ye See Ly . 2 4x 5a AN RG yy i My . eceieticenaaeeineed Sena ag So Se MS te x THAUMATIAS LINN AGI, Bonap. Linneus’ Emerald. Thaumantias linnei, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p- 255. Trochilus Tobaci, Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 498 ? Tobago Humming Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 781? Trochilus Tobagensis, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 316 ? Tobago Humming Bird, var. A., Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 336? LT’ Oiseau-mouche de Tobago, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. i. p- 114? LT’ Oiseau-mouche a poitrine verte (Trochilus maculatus), Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. i. [Do 7) pl. 44? Trochilus Tobago, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 350 ? Ornismya viridissima, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 207. pl. 75. We have here a species that has been common in our collections from the earliest period at which the productions of South America became known to us ; but it is quite impossible to say under what name it is designated by the older writers ; this difficulty has arisen from the absence of illustrations in their works, and from their careless and curt descriptions applying equally well to several species. M. Bourcier, of Paris, whose opinions respecting the great group of Humming Birds are not to be questioned, has kindly favoured me with the above list of synonyms, as probably referring to this species, and they are given entirely on his authority. The term wridissima, assigned to this species by M. Lesson, having been employed many years before by Gmelin for another member of the family, and the other synonyms given above being, in my opinion, very questionable, I agree with M. Bourcier and Prince Charles L. Bonaparte, that it will be advantageous to give the present bird another appellation, and I have therefore adopted that of Zinnei, proposed for it by the Prince, in honour of the great Swedish naturalist. The native habitat of this species is Northern Brazil, Guiana, and the neighbouring countries ; it is also said to visit Tobago ; but whether it is to be found in that or any other of the West Indian Islands, is unknown to me. My specimens are from Para, the Delta of the Amazon, and Guiana, and I believe I may also say, from Santa Fé de Bogota ; for I possess examples from that locality which so closely accord with the others, that I have no doubt of their identity, the only differences being a trifling increase in the length of the bill and a slight tipping of white to the tail-feathers. The sexes, like those of 7° albiventris, very closely assimilate in colour; but the female is somewhat smaller than her mate. Head, all the upper surface, upper and under wing-coverts, and tail-coverts bronzy green ; wings purplish brown ; central tail-feathers bronzy green ; the remainder black, with paler tips ; throat and breast glittering grass-green, fading into duller green on the flanks ; a narrow stripe down the abdomen, and the under tail- coverts white. The figures are the size of life. The plant is copied from a drawing sent to me by Mr. Reeves. i h q 4 : i \ 1,6. Wallon Imp Hulima nie AMAZILIA PRISTINA. Amazili. Orthorhynchus Amazili, Less. Voy. de la Coq., Ois., pl. 31. fig. 3. Ornismya amazili, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., pp. xxvu, 67. pls. 12, 138.—Ib. Traité d’Orn., p- 280.—Ib. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 81.—Ib. Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du gen. Trochilus, p. xxvii. Polytmus Amazih, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 70. Trochilus Amazilia, Tschudi, Consp. Ay., no. 206.—Ib. Faun. Peruana, p. 39. Amazihus latirostris, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Ay., p. 77, Amazilius, sp. 1.—Ib. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254. Amazilia latirostris, Reich. Aufz. der Col., p- LO. In his description of this species, Lesson says, ‘ Peru, like Brazil, possesses Humming-birds peculiarly its own,” and adds, ‘the name given to this bird will not only recall to our imagination one of the heroines celebrated by Marmontel in his ‘Incas,’ but also the country in which it lives.” It is, indeed, peculiar to Peru, and is exceedingly common in the neighbourhood of the far-famed city of the Sun—Lima. It is one of the largest and most powerful species of the genus Amazilia, and may be regarded as the type of a form to which no less than six generic appellations have been assigned. ‘The specific name of /atirostris applied to this bird by Prince Charles L. Bonaparte and Dr. Reichenbach cannot be retained, as the Jatirostris of Swainson, which they have imagined to be the same, is a bird of a totally different form. I possess numerous examples of this species, none of which present sufficient differences to suggest any positive determination of their sex. ‘Elle n’est point rare,” says M. Lesson, “dans les buissons du littoral du Pérou, qu’elle fréquente le soir et le matin. Comme tous l’oiseaux-mouches, l’Amazili est toujours en mouvement, et vole de fleurs en fleurs en bourdonnant.” Crown of the head and upper surface greenish-bronze, changing into bronzy-red on the lower part of the back and upper tail-coverts ; wings purplish-brown, glossed with bronze ; tail chestnut-red, glossed on the central feathers with bronze; throat and chest white, with a crescent of glittering green at the tip of each feather ; centre of the breast white; under surface sandy-red; vent and under tail-coverts white, the former washed with rufous. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Befaria estuans, Ye Aw ~% Oy ys PS Oe fa. we ‘ph I; 1p) f oe a ae v « tJ ee J : LAY is Oy ~ OF Ow SCY) CxS Om o rom PPT 0 nme — LAA Oru | a NS a RS el rr ea ee ale AMAZILIA CERVINIVENTRIS, Gowda. Fawn-breasted Amazili. Amazilius cerviniventris, Gould in Proce. of Zool. Soc., part xxiv. p. 150. Tur Humming-bird figured on the accompanying Plate is a species very recently discovered by M. Sallé at Cordova in Mexico. It differs sufficiently from every other to satisfy the most scrupulous as to its distinctness. Less difference occurs in the colouring of the sexes than is observable in most other species, but in this particular it accords with the other members of the genus. ‘Two of the three specimens procured by M. Salle, all of which now form part of my own collection, are said to be males and the third a female ; the latter being principally distinguished from the former by the indistinct mark of blackish-brown near the tips of four of the tail-feathers, namely the two on each side next the middle ones. The tips of all the tail-feathers of both sexes are fringed with a bronzy-orange, which is more intense on the middle than on the outer ones, where indeed it becomes almost obsolete. This species is about the size of 4. Riefferi; but its bill is less robust, and the chestnut colouring of the tail-feathers is of a somewhat lighter hue; as also are the under tail-coverts. Head, all the upper surface, wing- and upper tail-coverts bronzy-green; wings purplish-brown; tail dark chestnut-red, each feather narrowly bordered and tipped with a bronzy lustre, which is of greatest extent and most conspicuous on the two centre tail-feathers; throat and chest luminous green; under surface of the shoulder and flanks dull green; abdomen and under tail-coverts fawn-colour ; thighs white ; bill reddish-flesh or yellow, at the base merging into brown, and tipped with black. The Plate represents two males and a female. The plant is the Gonolobus Martianus. a a eer , So So 2) Dr yy aS ra ae oe we Pe . ee re ee ee Ne ee ee ee eee a a ee ke Nd eee eee ee awn ae eee 7 a roan x ink AMAZILIA CASTANEIVENTRIS, Gowa. Chestnut-bellied Amazili. Amazilius castaneiventris, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxiv. p- 150. Turis unique bird has been in my collection for a long time; it was sent to me, with a number of other Humming-Birds, by Mr. Mark, Her Britannic Majesty’s Consul at Bogota, without any information as to where it was collected. It has so many distinctive characters that it cannot be confounded with any other species. As I have nothing to add to the brief remark respecting it published in the ‘ Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London,’ I cannot do better than repeat them here. “This species differs from 4. cerviniventris in the much greater depth of the chestnut colouring of the abdomen, under tail-coverts and tail; in size it is considerably less than that species, being even smaller than 4. beryllina, to which it offers an alliance in the colouring of its wings, but from which it is distin- guished by the chestnut red of its abdomen ; the white feathers of the thighs are much developed and very conspicuous. “Crown of the head, upper part of the back, and shoulders reddish bronze ; rump and upper tail-coverts reddish with a bronzy lustre ; wings purplish brown, with the exception of the basal portions of the primaries and secondaries, which are rufous ; tail dark chestnut, tipped with a bronzy lustre, which is most conspi- cuous on the centre feathers ; throat, fore part of the neck, breast, and upper part of the abdomen shining golden green ; under surface of the shoulders, lower part of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts fine chestnut red; thighs white ; upper mandible brownish black; under mandible fleshy yellow, except at the tip, which is brownish black.” The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Pitcairnia echinata. Se ~ ; D a " op) . d y) nt ) QA g AMAZILIA RIEFFERL. Rieffer’s Amazili. Trochilus Riefferi, Boure. Rev. ‘Zool. 1843, p. 103.—Ib. Ann. Sci. Phys. &e. de Lyon, 1843 p- 45. Amazilius riefferi, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Ay., p- 78, Amazilius, sp. 10.—Ib. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254.—Sclat. in Proc. of Zool. Soe., part xxv. p. 145. Amazilha Riefferi, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p. 10.—Selat. in Proe. of Zool. Soc., part xxiv. p- 140, part xxv. p- 16, and part xxvii. pp. 288, 296.—Salv. in Ibis, vol. ii. p. 270. Polytmus Riefferi, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 72. Trochilus Dubusii, Boure. Rey. Zool. 1852, p. Amazilia Dubusii, Reichenb. Auf. der COL, jo. 10. Amazilius dubusi, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254.—Selat. in Proce. of Zool. Soc., part xxiv. p. 287.—Ib. Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxvii. p- 386. > Trochilus fuscicaudatus, Fras. in Proc. of Zool. Soce., part vin. p. 17. Hylocharis fuscicaudatus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 114, Hylocharis, sp. 26. In a tray now before me I have twenty-five skins of Humming-Birds, all belonging, I believe, to one and the same species, the Amazilia Rieffcri. These twenty-five specimens are from various localities extending over many degrees of latitude—that is, from the southern parts of Mexico to the confines of Peru. I believe that every part of the high lands which occur between the limits mentioned is frequented by this bird, either as a migrant or a resident. To particularize the localities on the labels attached to my specimens, I may mention Cordova, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Veragua, Bogota, and Guayaquil. The specimens from some of these localities are found to differ slightly in colouring from those procured in others of them; the differences, however, are very trifling, and not greater than the local variations ob- servable in a hundred other instances, and cousequently are not of sufficient importance to justify their separation into distinct species. My learned friend and coadjutor M. Bourcier considered the Honduras bird to differ from the others sufficiently to warrant its being regarded as another species, and fixed, I believe, upon the bronzy fringing of the tail-feathers as his principal character; but I can assure him that this will not hold good, for I have specimens of 4. Riefferi, from Bogota and elsewhere, presenting precisely the same feature. I make this remark with the typical specimen from which he took his description before me, and which he has kindly sent to this country, with many others, for the promotion of this work ; the name of Dubusi, then—the term applied by M. Bourcier to this supposed new bird—must sink into a synonym. Even if it were otherwise, the name of Dudusi must give place to that of fuscicaudatus of Fraser, whose description was taken from Honduras specimens; in truth, that name was proposed before that of 2éeffer’,—a fact with which I was unacquainted when my Plate of this species was printed. There is one peculiarity in the colouring of the Amazilia Riefferi by which it may be at once distinguished from every other known Humming-Bird; this is, a little red mark on the lores, or the space between the bill and the eye. I need scarcely say that I find this in M. Bourcier’s 4. Dudus¢; it is not, however, so conspicuous as in some of my specimens, and for this reason,—the bird is, I think, a female, and the mark is not so apparent in that sex as in the male. Of its habits and economy but little has been recorded. Mr. Bridges found it feeding on a Malvaceous plant near the Boqueti, at an elevation of four thousand feet ; Mr. Salvin met with it at Coban in November, and also near Yzabal, and remarked that it was far from common at Coban, and that all the specimens he procured appeared to be males; and Mr. Fraser noticed it feeding from the bark of a large tree in the forest of Babahoyo in Ecuador, and states that when he arrived in Esmeraldas in October it was by no means uncommon, feeding morning and evening round the eaves of the house; in November it was very scarce, and in December not to be seen. Crown of the head, all the upper surface, and wing-coverts bronzy green, darkest on the crown; wing's dark purplish brown ; upper tail-coverts and tail deep reddish chestnut, narrowly fringed above, and more broadly beneath, with golden bronze, the golden fringing being much darker in some specimens than in others, particularly on the upper side of the tail; throat and breast luminous prass-sreen; abdomen and flanks bronzy green, passing into pale brown towards the vent; under tail-coverts rufous, with lighter edges ; bill fleshy brown, with a blacker tip; irides dark hazel; feet brown. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Odontoglossum hastilabium. ed Se ea Pe ee ee ee aS SUPRA Betas cate A GS > Ss See = FS : =" | ; z =a 4 , ‘ 5 : ay - - q i = b a < aq i ee ee eee ee Pe a PR Oe ae eee av WeeN BSC) me GW * AMAZILIA BERYLLINA. ° Berylline Amazili. Trochilus beryllinus, Licht. Preis-Verz. Mexican. Thier. ges. v. Deppe und Sehiede (Sept. 1830), no. 26. Ornismya Arsinoé, Less. Supp. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., pp. 154, 156. pls. 28, 29.—Ib. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1838, p- 314, 1839, p. 18. Jynanthus Arsinoé, Jard. Nat. Lib. Humm.-Birds, vol. ii. p- 149. pl. 33. Polytmus Arsinoé, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 109, Polytmus, sp. 9. Amazilius arsinoé, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., tom. i. p- 77, Amazilius, sp. 2.—Ib. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254. Amazilia Arsinoé, Reich. Auf. der Col., p. 10.—Ib. Troch. figs. 4794-97? Pyrrhophaena beryllina, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil iii. p. 36. Enum., p. 8. t. deelxxiv. Tus bird is generally known to Trochilidists by the specific name of Arsinoé; but the Berlin ornithologists tell us that it had been previously named deryllinus by the late Dr. Lichtenstein in his priced list of birds issued in 1830; and I have adopted the name proposed by my very old friend who so long filled the post of Director of the Zoological Museum of Berlin: at the same time I question the justice of the procedure, as it can scarcely be expected that names proposed in a catalogue of duplicate birds, even if accompanied by brief specific descriptions, are to be received and admitted by the scientific naturalist ; for myself, I have never seen the pamphlet alluded to. The native country of the Amaziha beryllina is Southern Mexico, where it appears to be numerous; it does not, however, seem to enjoy a very wide range, since I do not recollect ever seeing examples of it in any collection from Guatemala; if it be found there, it is but rarely, and only in the northern parts of the country, or those portions bordering on Mexico. Several specimens were collected by M. Botteri in the neighbourhood of Orizaba, and M. Sallé procured others at Cordova. A considerable difference occurs in the extent of the green colouring of the under surface in different individuals ; in some this colour spreads over the whole of the abdomen, while in others it merely covers the chest and the upper part of the flanks, the breast being of a deep brownish fawn-colour. ‘This variation in the extent of the green colouring I at one time attributed to a difference of sex, the male being generally more clothed with green than the female, but I now think it is merely a local variation. Head, sides and back of the neck, upper part of the back, and the anterior portion of the wing-coverts dark green, gradually passing into the rich deep golden and purplish bronze of the posterior portion of the wing-coverts, lower part of the back and upper tail-coverts ; spurious wing very dark brown; primaries and secondaries dark chestnut-red at the base, and purplish brown for the remainder of their length ; tail rich deep purplish bronze, the purple hue prevailing on the four central feathers; chin, throat, chest, and ab- domen shining grass-green; under surface of the wing, vent, and under tail-coverts deep chestnut-red, the feathers of the latter part narrowly fringed with white ; upper mandible black ; under mandible fleshy with a black tip. 2 Sah = 5 ayy V, 24° 29. y The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Mazlaria Warreana. ws 7 = a a eee sa SRS RR SS I ose eas OK es ed) Sw ie @ us ae Pa ae oe bane AMAZILIA DEVILLEL Deville’s Amazili. Trochilus Deville’, Boure. Rev. Zool. 1848, p. 272.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. iii., app. p. 30a, app. to p. 108. Amaziha Devillei, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p- 10. Amazilius devillei, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 204. Trochilus Marie, Boure. Ann. Sci. Phys. &c. de Lyon, 1843? Hylocharis mariae, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 74, Hylocharis, sp. 6 ? Smaragdites Marie, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p. 7? In order to effect a correct determination of many species of this group of birds, I have found it absolutely necessary to examine the typical specimens from which the original descriptions were taken,—a task of no ordinary difficulty, distributed as they are among our own and the Continental museums, both public and private. With regard to those described by M. Bourcier, I have had but little trouble, since they have not only been freely submitted to my inspection in his own cabinet, but they have, in many instances, been transmitted for this purpose to my own house; and his kindness has been especially serviceable with regard to the bird here represented (Amazilia Devillei), as there are two or three species of this form so nearly allied to each other that one description would almost serve for all, particularly if the minute points of difference are not included there. Thus, by description alone, it would be very difficult to distinguish the Amazilia Deville: from the A. Arsinoé ; yet these birds are really quite distinct—one (the Arsinoé) inhabiting Mexico, and the other (the Dev://e:) Guatemala. In size, too, they are very much alike ; but the tail of Deville: is by far the deepest and richest in colour, and has the beautiful fiery violet tints predominating over the other red parts of the feathers, while the contrary is the case in Arsinoé. The wing in Devillei, also, is much darker than in drsznvé, the base only of the primaries and secondaries being rufous chestnut, while in Arsinoé somewhat more than the basal half is of this colour; and, finally, the green of the under surface is much deeper, and extends further down towards the tail-coverts than in Devillev. As I have before mentioned, the native country of the 4. Devillei is Guatemala. Some of the specimens I possess were transmitted to me by Mr. Skinner, while others were received from Mr. Salvin, who collected them at Duenas. Although I have said that the Arsézoé inhabits Mexico, and the Devillei Guatemala, I do not believe that the two birds are strictly confined to those respective countries, but that they will pass the border-line at one or other season of the year. I believe that the note attached by Mr. Salvin to Arsenoé has reference to this bird, and not to that species; if so, I fear I may have inadvertently led him into the error by giving a wrong name when he submitted his collections to me on his return from Guatemala. It would be difficult to define in writing the minute differences which exist in the external appearance of the sexes, the colouring being so very similar. In size, the female is somewhat smaller than her mate. Head, wing-coverts, and back dark green; wings dark purplish brown, with a mark of rufous at the base of the primaries and secondaries ; tail-coverts dark purple; tail rich fiery purple ; all the under surface shining grass-green ; thighs thickly clothed with white feathers ; under tail-coverts pale bronzy brown ; under surface of the tail purplish brown, margined and tipped with fiery copper ; bill black, except the base of the under mandible, which appears to have been fleshy red ; feet dark brown. The figures in the accompanying Plate represent two males and a female, of the size of life. The plant is the Epidendrum lhinearifolium. ne a EE | a TO Ce ey i Ws eee ae | 1) a) Oh LL = FC he Bos Dial 9 oY 3 Se ary iH im 4 fk | Sees 4 : WO CHO, On 9 9" @A9"@ a cy) OM O} ‘&* ™~ et Sal yt GN “alae” i WO) tN " AMAZILIA VIRIDIGASTRER. Green-bellied Amazili. Trochilus viridigaster, Boure. Rev. Zool. 1843, p. 105.—Ib. Ann. Sci. Phys. de Lyon, 1843, p. 42. Hylocharis viridigaster, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 74, Hylocharis, sp. 5 Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p-. 115, Aylocharis, sp. 41. Saucerottia viridiventris, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., Dans: viridigastra, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p- 255.—Selat. in Proe. of Zool. Soc., part xxv. p. 16. -—Gray and Mitch. Irv will be admitted by every ornithologist that a more appropriate specific appellation than the one applied to this species might easily have been selected—one having reference, for instance, to its greyish-brown back or its nearly pure violet tail, whereas the term wridigaster will apply equally well to at least a hundred species. So far, however, as I am aware, no other term has ever been applied to it, except vividiventris, which has the same meaning ; viridigaster must therefore be retained. The native country of this bird is New Grenada, and numerous are the examples which have from time to time been sent to Europe from Bogota. M. Bourcier once told me that, upon reconsidering the subject, he feared that the bird to which he had given the name of Zrochilus Marie might prove to be identical with the present species; but on carefully comparing his description with the examples from which the figures in the accompanying Plate were taken, I find it to differ so much, especially in the colouring of the wings, as to preclude the possibility of such being the case; in all probability it is identical with 4. Devillei. I regret that I have nota single note to add respecting the habits and economy of this bird. I believe that all the specimens which have reached Europe have been killed and skinned by the Indians, who, as is well known, pay little or no attention to habits: all they desire is to approach sufficiently near to obtain them by means of the blow-pipe, with which they take almost unerring aim, using round balls of clay for their pellets. Like the other Amazilie, the sexes resemble each other in colour; if any difference occurs, it consists in the somewhat brighter hues of the male. Head, upper part of the back, and wing-coverts dull green ; lower part of the back and upper tail-coverts greyish brown ; wings purplish brown; tail deep violet; under surface shining grass-green, passing into greyish brown ; under tail-coverts greyish buff, with lighter edges; thighs somewhat thickly clothed and white; bill black, except the basal two-thirds of the lower mandible, which appears to have been fleshy. The figures are of the size of nature. The plant is the Leka acuminata. DR OT Ce ee a “SOR i se N ot é ee ee eee ee ee wn ee ae RSA Sa ee eee AN AMAZILIA CYANURA, Goud. Blue-tailed Amazili. Aux that is known respecting this Humming-bird is, that examples were collected by Captain Sir Edward Belcher, R.N., at Realejo in Nicaragua, and subsequently presented to the Zoological Society of London in the year 1839. On the dispersion of the Society’s collection they passed into my possession. The Amazilia cyanura is about the size of 4. Dumerili, to which species it is very nearly allied, but from which it differs in the blue colourmg of its tail and upper and under tail-coverts, as indeed it does in this respect from all the other members of the genus. Now that the bird is figured, and the attention of collectors called to the subject, I doubt not that the Museums of Europe will soon be supplied with specimens ; for myself, I shall hail the arrival of additional examples with pleasure, for it is a fine little bird. It is doubtless common on the Pacific side of Nicaragua generally, and I should say will most certainly be found at Realejo. The two examples I possess are precisely alike in colour. Head, all the upper surface and wing-coverts dark bronzy green, passing into coppery bronze on the lower part of the back ; wings purplish brown; the base of the primaries and secondaries both above and beneath chestnut-red ; under surface shining grass-green; upper and under tail-coverts and tail dark steel- blue, the under coverts fringed with grey ; thighs white. Total length 34 inches; bill Z; wing 2:; tail 12. In the accompanying Plate the bird is figured of the size of life. The plant is the Arbutus molhs. seunreet mee ——— Fe, \ ad 4 lat) ey ow Px ye ‘uth @ / pede ERYTHRONOTA ANTIQUA. Krythronote. Ornismya erythronotos, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois.-Mou., p. 181. pl. 61.—Ib. Tab. des Esp. dOis.- Mou., p. xxxiii—lb. Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Trochilus, p. xxviii. —__— erythronotus, Less. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 19. Polytmus erythronotus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 109, Polytmus, sp. 78. Saucerottia erythronota, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 77, Saucerottia, sp. 2.—Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p. 8.—Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, Pp: 200. Trochilus erythronotus, Jard. in Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. xx. p. 374. Arg we to regard the several birds generally known under the name of Erythronotes as one or as many species? Great care is required at the hand of the ornithologist respecting this peculiar section of the Tro- chilide. In every group of birds which the monographer attempts to illustrate, some one or two species will be found to vary, or sport as it were, in their size and colouring more than others ; fortunately, however, these are the exceptions, and not the rule. I may ask, is the great bird from Tobago the same as the more diminutive bird from Trinidad ? Again, is the bird from the Caraceas, which is of the same size as that from Trinidad, but from which it differs in having bright chestnut under tail-coverts, the same? Or are we to regard them as so many species? For the present, I believe it will be better to consider them identical, for this reason: I find that the specimens from Trinidad differ very considerably among them- selves, some having beautiful violet-grey under tail-coverts, while in others those feathers are uniform chestnut, and in others again they are olive-grey; it is clear, therefore, that the difference in the colouring of these feathers cannot be regarded as of importance. In making these remarks, it must be understood that I exclude the bird to which M. Bourcier has given the name of Felicie—a bird most nearly allied, but which has never, I believe, any red colouring on the nape and back,—a feature found in all those previously noticed, whether from Trinidad, Tobago, or the Caraccas. The figures in the accompanying Plate were taken from Trinidad specimens to which I would apply the term antigua, as being the oldest known. If future research should discover good grounds for separating the larger Tobago birds, they might receive a new specific name, as indeed may the other also. In the imperfect state of our knowledge, I feel that Iam right in placing them together, and I do this with a strong bias to the opinion that they will never be separated. With regard to the Trinidad bird, but little has been recorded respecting it. Mr. Tucker informed me that it is very common all over the island, inhabiting the woods as well as the savannahs, but more frequently the latter, visiting almost every flower that comes in its way. In the twentieth volume of the ‘ Annals and Magazine of Natural History,’ above referred to, Sir William Jardine, quoting from Mr. Kirk’s notes on the Tobago bird, says: ‘begins to build about the 10th of February, generally on a small stalk, or on the upper side of some twig, sometimes so hidden from the eye by a large leaf as to preclude all possibility of seeing it from above, and often so near the ground as to remain undis- covered: makes a small nest, in which it lays two pure white eggs.” Lesson, I believe, is quite wrong in giving Brazil as the habitat of this bird, for I have no reason to suppose that it is ever found there. Not much difference occurs in the plumage of the sexes, and the young at an early age assume the adult livery, or a dress very similar to it. Forehead yellowish shining green; crown and nape, back, wing- and tail-coverts coppery red; wings purplish brown; tail black, with steel-blue reflexions; back of the neck green; breast and under surface shining grass-green ; under tail-coverts rufous violet or grey; on each side the flanks an oblong patch of white; bill black, with a lighter base to the under mandible, that part appearing to have been flesh- colour. The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Odontoglossum hastilabium, var. fuscatum. Z. £4 Cofire, L70p Wielter Wale a NE 8 - ~ ae , x a x AJ Ny nf $ +e S A ‘ & sd +) wee E i 3) | fee : _ ai : 5 Nn ( ed H : ; _ 4 ¢ ] oo . Sy ERYTHRONOTA FELICIA. Felicia’s Erythronote. Ornismya Felicia, Less. in Rey. Zool. 1840, p. 72. —__—— Feliciae, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col., p. 7. Saucerottia felicia, Bonap. in Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255. Chlorestes Feliciae, Reichenb. Troch. Enum., p. 6, pl. 697. figs. 455-657. Hemithylaca Feliciae, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein., p. 38, note. Trochilus Emile. Tur Erythronota Fehcie isa species closely allied to the E. antiqgua—so close, in fact, that it is extremely difficult to distinguish it from that bird in some states of its plumage. The tail-feathers of the H. Mehcie, however, are more blue, and its upper surface is wholly green, except on the Jower part of the back and on the upper tail-coverts, which in some specimens are brown, and in others violaceous. Its under tail-coverts appear to be subject to as much variation as those of its near ally ; for in some they are russet brown, in others violet, in others, again, violet green, and I have seen a few in which the two colours are intermingled. Venezuela appears to be the native country of this bird. One of my specimens, collected on the Orinoco, seems to be somewhat immature ; for all the tail-feathers are beautifully tipped with bright fiery purple, and the lower part of the back and upper tail-coverts are buff; still I have no doubt of its being the same bird. When the E. Felicie has perfected its moult, its body is clothed in a deep and pure green, which on exposure to light and air changes to a brown or golden hue. I have not been able to detect any difference in the colouring of the sexes, and I believe their discrimination will be impossible unless dissection of freshly killed examples be resorted to. r surface, and wing-coverts green, a bronzy bue prevailing on the lower purple in some specimens ; all the under surface shining grass- under tail-coverts violet and green intermingled; upper Crown of the head, all the uppe part of the back ; upper tail-coverts fiery green; wings steel-blue ; tail deep bluish black ; mandible black; under mandible fleshy-red, with a black tip; feet black. The three figures in the accompanying plate are of the size of life. The plant is the Odontoglossum hastilabium, var. fuscatum. nC a ee wo) a ea ee eo | iH IVINANITI Fa ot . 2, ah a @ « ERYTHRONOTA EDWARDI. Wilson’s Erythronote. Trochilus Edward, De Latt. et Boure. Rev. Zool. 1846, p- 308. Polytmus Edwardsu, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 109, Polytmus, sp. 77. Amazilus Edward, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 78, Amazilius, sp. 13. Thaumantias edward, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p- 255. Saucerottia Edwardsi, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col., p. 8. Tue productions of the native country of the Erythronota Edwardi—one of the rarer species of the Trochi- lidee—are almost as unknown as those of New Guinea, or any other equally remote part of the globe, which circumstance is very much to be regretted, for were the zoology of the Isthmus of Panama carefully investigated and made known, much of scientific interest would result therefrom. In size this species equals, if it does not exceed, that of the Common Erythronote ; but the whiteness of its belly and the much richer colouring of its back and tail render it remarkably distinct from that and every other species of the genus. I possess several specimens, some of which were procured by the late M. De Lattre, and others by M. Warszewicz. The Wilson’s Erythronote was named Edwardi by MM. De Lattre and Bourcier, in honour of Edward Wilson, Esq., of Tenby, a gentleman who formerly paid great attention to natural history, and particularly to ornithology. The sexes of this species, like those of the other members of the group, are said to be similar in colour. Crown of the head and back of the neck green, gradually blending with the deep purplish hue of the shoulders, back and tail-coverts; throat and breast glittering grass-green ; flanks bronzy green; abdomen white; under tail-coverts brown, bordered with grey ; wings purplish brown ; tail rich bronzy purple; bill black, except the basal three-fourths of the under mandible, which are fleshy red. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Odontoglossum membranaceum. ERYTHRONOTA NIVEIVENTRIS, Gow. White-breasted Erythronote. Trochilus (___ ?) niveoventer, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xviii. p. 164. Thawnantias niveiventer, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 295. Saucerottia niveiventer, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 8. Tus species is very nearly allied to the Erythronota Edwardi ; it is, however, a somewhat stouter bird, and is otherwise distinguishable by the lesser brilliance of the back and upper surface, and by the blackness of its tail. Its native country is Veragua, whence I have received several examples direct ; I have also a specimen procured by Dr. Berthold Seemann in Panama, and another collected by M. Warszewicz near David, at an elevation of between 5000 and 10,000 feet above the sea-level. The whiteness of the abdomen of this species and its near ally is a character which at once separates them from the type of the genus, the Common Erythronote of Trinidad and Guiana. The Erythronota niveiventris is at present very rare, as I know of no other examples in Europe but those contained in my own collection. As far as I can judge, there is but little difference in the colouring of the sexes ; the specimen procured by Dr. Seemann has, however, more white on the abdomen, less green on the throat, and the outer tail- feathers slightly tipped with a lighter colour, which distinctions may perhaps be characteristic of the female. Head and upper surface green, passing into coppery red on the wing-coverts, lower part of the back and upper tail-coverts ; wings dark purplish brown ; tail purplish black ; throat, breast and flanks luminous grass-green ; abdomen white ; under tail-coverts brown, fringed with white; upper mandible black ; lower mandible flesh-colour. The figures on the Plate are of the size of life. The plant is the Passiflora Medusea. i ve oS ee Le Ae ns oes iF z ey ‘o f% A x ¥, ~~) Bis & : . ye SA AS WAS oN ily t s ERYTHRONOTA? ELEGANS, Goud. Elegant Erythronote. Evythronota? elegans, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxviii. p. 307. a a Tuts is one of the unique birds comprised in the vast collection from which this monograph has been written. In what part of South America it was obtained is quite unknown to me, and, of course, I am equally unacquained with its habits and economy. I feel confident that the example from which my figures were taken is fully adult, and I am as certain that it differs from every other known species. The following remarks and description, to which I have nothing to add, are reprinted from the ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society.’ It would have given me very great pleasure to have furnished more ample details respecting many members of the family than I have done, but this has been impossible ; we often receive examples of new species many years before any details respecting them are obtainable. “Tt is easier to assign a specific name to a bird than to determine to which generic form it is referable ; and if there be any bird which is a puzzle to the brain of the ornithologist, this is one. It 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 Erythronote, with which I have provisionally placed it. ‘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, and black for the remainder of its length ; under mandible flesh-colour, except at the tip, which is black. * Total length 32 inches ; bill 123 wing 253 fail 2” The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Mormodes atro-purpurea. PE NI — ‘ ta | i = So : i 4 =A (4 > ’ - | == ee ll ro TW: en AX Siy°, me P +3 — ~- eS wa : .) .“e7 i v2 (ay) Oe ERYTHRONOTA SAUCEROTTEI. Saucerotte’s Erythronote. Trochilus Saucerottei, Boure. et Delatt. Rev. Zool., 1846, p. 311. Polytmus Saucerottii, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 67. Saucerottia typica, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., tom. i. p. 77; Id. Rev. et Mag. de Zool., 1854, p: 255 ; Saucerottia, sp. 1., Reichenb. Aufz. der Col., eae Chlorestes typicus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum., p. 4, pl. 701. figs. 4569-70. Henithylaca Saucerottei, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein., Theil ii. p. 38, note. Tue native country of the Erythronota Saucerottei is New Grenada, whence it was brought by Delattre. In point of affinity, this bird is nearly allied to £. Sophie; but it may always be distinguished by its rather larger size, and by the duller colouring of its breast and under surface, and especially by the dull olive-green hue of the centres of the under tail-coverts, which in Z. Sophie are blue. As is the case with the Erythronote, no perceptible difference is observable in the sexes, either in size or colour. Crown of the head and upper surface deep grass-green, becoming of a brown hue towards the lower part of the back ; upper tail-coverts and tail steely black ; all the under surface dull green, of a paler hue than that of the upper surface, and very slightly luminous; under tail-coverts steely brown edged with greyish white ; wings steely black like the tail; upper mandible black ; under mandible fleshy at the base, black at the tip. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Barkerva elegans. ae. ERYTHRONOTA SOPHIA. Sophia’s Erythronote. Trochilus Sophie, Boure. Ann. Soe. Sei. Ph 1846, pp. 316, 317. Polytmus Sophie, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 109, Polytmus, sp. 76. Amazilius sophiae, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 78, Amazilius, sp. 12. Saucerottia Sophiae, Reich. Auf. der Col., p. 8. ys. et Nat. Lyon, 1846; p: ssi; Rese Zeal ——— sophie, Selat. in Proc. of Zool. Soe., part xxiii. pa ole sophia, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255. Chlorestes Sophiae, Reich, Troch. Enum., eee dexevii. figs. 4554, 4555 ? Trochilus (—— ?) caligatus, Gould in Proe. of Zool. Soc. 1848, p. 14. Hemithylaca Sophiae, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil iii. p. 38 ———— Hoffmanni, Cab. ib. p-. 38. » hote. Brrorr taking up my pen to give an account and description of the bird figured on the opposite Plate: I have carefully examined, side by side, the type-specimen from which M. Bourcier took bis Trochilus Sophie, the type-specimen of the bird I described as Zrochilus calgatus, and, through the kindness of the Director of the Royal Museum of Berlin, a veritable example of M. Cabanis’ Hemithylaca Hoffinanni ; and I find that the three birds are so precisely alike, that Iam unable to detect any difference either in size, markings, or colour: the date of publication must therefore determine which of the three names is to be retained as a specific designation for the present species; and as that of M. Bourcier was proposed in 1846, my own in 1848, and M. Cabanis’ in 1860, the former must be the one adopted, and the others placed in the rank of synonyms. description of The Erythronota Sophie appears to be very common in Costa Rica, for I possess many specimens from that country, all of which were collected in the neighbourhood of San José, a locality which is also inscribed on the label attached to the specimen belonging to the Berlin Museum ; independently of Costa Rica, the bird is also found at Panama, and in the country to the southward and eastward of that locality. By some naturalists the Saucerottia typica has been considered to be identical with this bird 3 but on an inspec- tion of the type-specimen, which is also before me, I am inclined to think it distinct ; at the same time I must admit that it is very nearly allied ; it appears to be a larger bird, to have the green of the under surface less brilliant, the centre of the under tail-coverts dull olive instead of blue, and the tail-feathers inclined to greenish ; the lower part of the back, too, differs in presenting no trace of the purple hue which pervades the corresponding part in most of the specimens of the LZ. Sophie. The Saucerottia typica was brought from New Granada by De Lattre, and I do not find any examples in collections from Costa Rica. M. Bourcier has named this species in honour of Madame Sophie Gairal. Head, all the upper surface and wing-coverts dark green, inclining to purplish red on the lower part of the back; wings dull blue ; upper tail-coverts and tail very deep shining steel-blue ; under surface of the body shining grass-green; thighs thickly clothed with white feathers ; under tail-coverts blue, narrowly fringed with greyish white ; on each side the flanks a tuft of white ; bill black. The purple hue of the lower part of the back immediately above the upper tail-coverts appears to vary considerably, being much deeper in some specimens than in others. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Trichopilia coccinea. we 2 a4 D 7” Fe — S ah a eS hes NI 7 AN 7 ; Ack oe a Py, 5S 5 ha XS On: nA \| be Ne SE Rea CL NO Ce a 5 te OM ONS Cm Moy ORO O) eX ee AO ee a < ae ZS ae * "A _ IS a" 7. ay ees WS Te 8 DCG eS CRC so Sn A a Nf AS a% Es aX ~ . “ CHRYSURONIA CHNONE. CEnone Hummine-bird. Ornismya Oenone, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou. Supp., p- 157. pl. 30. ——— none, Ib. Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Trochilu —— oenone, De Latt. et Boure. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 17. D \ . a 2 | > . . Polytmus Gnone, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 109, Polytmus, sp. 80. Chrysuronia aenone, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av Ss, pe xe +» p. 79, Chrysuronia, sp: L. eee ee Oenone, Reich. Auf. der Col., p. 9. ———— enone, Bonap. Rev. Zool. 1854, p. 254.—Selater in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxii. pe etele Tus very charming Humming-bird does not, I believe, inhabit Trinidad, as stated by Lesson; it is true that specimens frequently come direct from thence ; but, according to Mr. Tucker, a gentleman long resident on the island, and who has paid great attention to its Humming-birds, these specimens are sent thither from the neighbouring parts of the South American Continent. All the countries traversed by the streams of the Orinoco are probably favoured with its presence ; and I think it likely that it also ranges all over the great country of Venezuela, since specimens are sent in tolerable abundance from several of the intervening districts between the Orinoco and the high lands of Columbia. It very frequently occurs in collections from Bogota and other Andean districts lying within an area of 500 miles from the city of Santa Fé; I have also received it direct from the Napo; it is evident therefore that it enjoys a very wide range of habitat. It may fairly be considered as one of the finest species of the genus Chrysuronia, the members of which are distinguished by their rich bronze-coloured tails, and by a brilliant blue colouring about the head, which in some species decorates the crown alone, while in others, as in the present bird, it extends over the whole of the throat and neck. The sexes appear to differ considerably in their colouring, the female being devoid of the blue on the head, while in the distinguishing feature of the group, the bronzy tail, she is scarcely less beautifully adorned. The male has the entire head and throat rich deep shining blue; all the upper surface and wing-coverts lively golden green; wings purplish brown ; upper and under tail-coverts and tail rich golden bronze ; under surface shining grass-green; upper mandible and tip of the lower mandible black, the basal two-thirds of the latter flesh-colour. : The female has the head green ; upper surface golden green ; wings. purplish brown ; upper tail-coverts and tail coppery bronze ; under surface white, spangled with shining green ; vent white. The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the So/andra levis. caaadadi = ei pteiicnce tion g » y Fi ie ee Tw Vy. co a } Gy) whe. : <= ay . CW 5 S Dyes PD 8 Le CHRYSURONIA JOSEPHINA, Josephine’s Hummi bird. Ocnisimyia Josephine, Boure. and Muls, Rev. Zool. 1848, p. Trochilus Josephine, Gray and Mitch. ( Birds, vol. ii, Supp. App. 30a., App. to p. 103. Chrysuronia Josephine, Reich. Aut, der Col. sephina, Bonap. Rev. Zool. 1854, p. 25 Josuriie’s Humming-bird is one of those species with which we are but little acquainted: my own collec -ontains two examples; one of these I purchased in Paris; the other I received direct from the Upper twon, where it w redl hy Mr. Bates, a naturalist, endowed with courage, energy, and fally equal t0 the performance of we has undertaken—that of exploring the rich the Upper Amazon. England may indeed he prow of two stich sons as Wallace and Bates, specially must feel gratefal for a vast extension of their scientific knowled ity this species is very closely allied cllknown € noes like that bird it has a splendid golden-bronzy tail; but the rich blue which adorns the throat as well as the head of tha pecies is confined to the head alone in C. J we whole of whose under surfice is green. W ally have seen so little of this bird that it to say whether the female he or be not contained in our collections ; but I may predict that, when discovered, she will be found to differ very little from the female of C. This species has been dedicated by MM. Bourcier and Mulsant to Madame Julien Lacroix Crown of the head rich deep blue, tinged in some specimens with green; upper surfuce and sing-coverts golden green ; under surface shining grass-green ; wings purplish brown ; upper taileoverts eoppery bron tail fine golden bronze in some examples, and rich eoppery bronze in others; under tailcoverts golde Irouze fringed with grey; upper mandible black; under mandible for fourths of ith apparently fleshy white, the tip dar PRI a NNT ae oy ye i FR BT ge P CHRYSURONIA HUMBOLDTLI. Humboldt’s Humming-bird. Trochilus Humboldtu, Boure. et Muls. Ann. Sci. Phys. &c. de Lion, May 7, 1852. Chrysuronia Humboldtn, Reich. Auf. der Col., peo ________— humboldti, Bonap. Rev. Zool. 1854, p. 204. In the eyes of the naturalist the diminutive Humming-bird and the gigantic Eagle, the smallest ani- malcule and the largest Whale, are of equal interest ; otherwise it could not have been deemed compli- mentary to name such a minute bird after so great a man as the illustrious Humboldt, whose merits are so varied, that, in whatever light they may be estimated, it may be truly said that few brighter stars have ever graced the roll of fame: in the death of Baron Humboldt, the devotee of the higher walks of science, as well as the more humble zoologist, has to mourn the departure of one whose genius shed a lustre not only over his own nation, but over every other where science is cultivated. It gives me no little pleasure to figure a bird named after this great. man, and to state that it is an inhabitant of that part of the world to which he devoted so much attention, and the exploration of which I know, from personal conversation with him, had left such pleasing reminiscences in his memory. The Chrysuronia Humboldti, then, is from the rich country of Ecuador. The few specimens hitherto sent to Europe have been procured on the banks of the River Miva, in the province of Esmeraldas. At present the bird is rarely met with in our collections ; those in my own, comprising an example of each sex, were received through France by way of Paris. The female presents the usual difference,—the blue colouring of the head, which is so conspicuous in the male, being absent in the opposite sex. The male has the head and throat fine deep blue; upper surface and wing-coverts golden-green ; wings purplish brown; tail bronzy green; breast shining green; under surface bronzy green, with a streak of 7 O C O white down the centre of the abdomen; bill apparently flesh-colour. y bronze; wings purplish brown ; central tail-feathers green ; The female has the upper surface copper) under surface dull white, spangled with lateral feathers brown glossed with green and tipped with white ; green on the breast and flanks. The figures are of the size of life. Se a es So _ et ane oo. AS S — cs —i a —— i = ( = . — wy | a <4 = | a Go p ee aw ereeeenes = es Pa Se | ia ae op pe “ raa ae - 5 CHRYSURONIA ELICIA Elicia’s Golden Tail. Trochilus Elicie, Boure. et Muls. Ann. de la Soe. Sci. de Lyon, 1846, p. 314.—Ib. Rev. Zool. 1846, p. 316. Polytmus Elicia, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 109, Polytmus, sp. 82. Chrysuronia elicia, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254. |]. “heiae, Reichenb. Autfz. der Col., Dee ———. eliciae, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Ay., p. 75, Chrysuronia, sp. 3. Or this charming little bird little or nothing is known further than that it is a native of Central America, whence I have received specimens direct from several correspondents, among whom I may mention M. Warszewicz, M. Salle, and George Ure Skinner, Esq. ; all the examples sent by the latter gentleman were procured in Guatemala. Although the Chrysuronia Elicia is not distinguished by any great brilliancy of colouring, its blue throat and rich bronzy tail harmonize so well, as to render it as I have termed it above, a very charming little bird. ‘The female has many characters in common with the male, but she may at once be distinguished by the obscure tipping of her tail-feathers, the lesser amount of blue on the throat, and the more buffy colouring of the abdomen. This pretty species has been named by M. Bourcier in honour of Madame Elicia Alain. The male has the head, all the upper surface, wing-coverts and flanks dark green; wings dark purplish brown ; upper tail-coverts coppery bronze ; tail both on the upper and under surface golden bronze ; throat deep shining lazuline blue ; abdomen dull greyish buff, washed with green; vent white ; under tail-coverts dull fawn colour ; bill fleshy red at the base, black at the tip. The female is similar to the male in many respects, but is not so brilliant in colour; has the tail of a more coppery hue, the lateral feathers slightly tipped with buff, and only a trace of the fine blue on the throat. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Stanhopea ecornuta. aoe Cn NP a a as NTS a pe a ee Ae A CHRY SURONIA CHRYSURA. Golden-tail., Ornismya chrysura, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois.-Mou., Supp. p. 107. pl. 4.—Ib. Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Trochilus, p. xl. y” a , 2, . = YP . a Chrysuronia chi ysura, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Ay +» p. 49, Chrysuronia, sp. 2.—Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p. J.—Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254. Polytmus chrysura, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 109, Polytmus, sp. 81. SARS NIaseucsre Wiru the exception of a single specimen from Brazil, all the examples of this species in my collection are from Peru. I mention this because Lesson, in the Supplement to his ‘Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux- Mouches’ above referred to, gives Brazil as its sole habitat. In all probability the bird inhabits the same degree of latitude in both countries. I do not, however, believe that it ever flies so far west as to come within the colonized portions of Brazil. In the vast trackless forests and savannahs which occur towards the eastern confines of that country, there doubtless exist many species of birds and quadrupeds common to this and the adjacent countries of Peru and Bolivia, and among them probably the present species, which may, perhaps, account for a solitary specimen of it now and then reaching us by way of Rio de Janeiro. It was from that city, through the kindness and liberality of Thomas Reeves, Esq., that my Brazilian specimen was received. The Chrysuronia chrysura is not characterized by any great brilliancy of colouring; in fact, with the exception of its luminous golden tail, the entire plumage is of a very sombre cast, not easy to depict. My own Plate gives a tolerably accurate representation of the bird: that of Lesson, I regret to say, is not a good one, and very apt to lead us astray as to the identification of the species. The sexes offer but little difference in their colouring, but I believe the female may at all times be known by the obscure tipping of grey on the two outer tail-feathers. Head, all the upper surface, wings, and tail-coverts of a golden hue, inclining to brown on the head ; wings purplish brown ; tail of a very rich golden lustre both above and beneath ; chin buff; under surface grey, washed with a golden hue, which is richest on the flanks ; vent and thighs white; under tail-coverts grey, with a slight golden lustre; the bill appears to have been fleshy red at the base of both mandibles and dark at the tip. oe The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size. The plant is the Drimys Winteri. INO OW MOR IIA om OS Be 7 nas ae NCR ae FF a ao a a t e Feet b ab oxo e Uj 2 ro (3) 5) 0) - ” ” — — ' “ee H i f } ‘e ght ane a“ wot - » 28 eNe* Batre x 6 Ca ce om es se TEN r> px By Nam — ey: Py > co at a Ys a ” - ee 5 BAD « S a Tuts fine bird was first described by MM. DeLattre and Bourcier in the ‘“ Revue Zoologique ” for 1846 ; the specific name of Gray? being assigned to it in honour of J. E. Gray, Esq., of the British Museum, a gentleman so well known for his high scientific attainments. It is a powerful and very beautiful species, and was brought to Europe in tolerable abundance by M. DeLattre, who, however, had not the honour of being its first discoverer, specimens, forming part of the fine Loddigesian collection, having been previously collected in the Andes by M. Hartweg. M. DelLattre’s examples are said to have been procured at Popayan, and I possess others which were shot by M. Warszewicz in a not far distant locality: as yet, I a Oy. Coy SF have never seen any from Bogota or Ecuador. I have little hesitation in placing this bird in the same genus with L. ce@rulea; in doing which, I am as much guided by the similarity of the females of the two species as by any other characters, for, were it not for size, one description would almost answer for the female of either. As in the case of the E. c@rulea, the breast of the male is so brilliant and glittering that it cannot be truthfully depicted ; it is of a more orange-green than that of its ally. ATG 4 “ i Ps ss aa Se 'o-e se Se eee The male has the crown of the head, cheeks and chin beautiful shining blue; back, wing- and tail-coverts rich golden; wings purplish-brown; tail steel-blue glossed with green; under surface glittering golden- green; bill red, with a darker tip. The female has all the upper surface greenish-bronze ; wings purplish-brown ; tail steel-blue, glossed with bronze on the basal two-thirds of the feathers, and tipped, especially the outer one, with grey; under surface white, spotted on the throat and flanks with glittering bronzy-green ; under tail-coverts grey ; bill ba God) n ors Pee ao J 6 . os Sy red, with a darker tip. The Plate represents the sexes of the size of life. OAD « a aS Pad So Co AN er Se eho 4 5 = Eo As a mR ers ° ~ AMT”. rs 2 o S cS Ly We SI \S ay Ce a OF cad = «a TS OY 2S a ANY ee TO OM MO EIA ot SO i 2° YS me C¥o N ——— al CP be a No og eee ee rs EUCEPHALA SMARAGDO-CAHRULEA, Gould, Green and Blue Sapphire. a , f - 2 ele os Augasma smaragdineum, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxviii. p. 305. Ir is to Mr. Reeves of Rio de Janeiro that I am indebted for a specimen of this rare species of Humming- Bird, of which I have as yet seen but two examples ; the one in my own collection, and another in that of M. Verreaux of Paris. Mr. Reeves states that the bird inhabits Novo Friburgo, and that the specimen he sent me was killed on the skirts of the virgin forest. This species forms another link in the chain of evidence which assures us that many new Humming-Birds are yet to be found in the far-distant and unex- plored interior of the great country of Brazil; for if we find so fine a bird as the present inhabiting a district but a short distance from the capital, where man is widely spread and daily engaged in collecting specimens, no doubt many other species will be discovered when the country is more closely searched. It will be seen that I first described this species in the ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society’ for 1860, and that I therein proposed for it the generic term of 4ugasma; in the present work, however, I retain it under the name of Hucephala. We really have not sufficient examples of this and one or two other nearly allied Humming-Birds to enable us to determine whether they should be generically separated or not. This elegantly formed bird is about the size of Thalurania furcata ; it is therefore a rather large species. Those who are acquainted with the 7. chlorocephala of M. Bourcier will find in this a very near ally; I have not the least doubt, however, of its being quite distinct. In M. Verreaux’s specimen the white tippings of the outer tail-feathers are nearly obsolete, while in mine they are conspicuous ; in my specimen, also, the two middle tail-feathers are marked with green on their upper surface, while in M. Verreaux’s (which I believe to be an older bird than mine) these feathers are uniform in colour throughout. Having only seen two specimens, I cannot of course say whether the sexes offer any difference in the colouring of their plumage and other external characters. Crown of the head and throat glittering greenish blue, imperceptibly passing into the glittering green of the breast ; back of the neck and upper surface golden green; upper tail-coverts grass-green ; under tail- coverts green, inclining to purple on some of the feathers; thighs brown; tail bluish black, the two outer feathers on each side slightly tipped with white ; bill black, with the exception of the basal half of the under mandible, which is flesh-colour. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Lepageria rosea. SS SA i Bi ee 4 =J Ve re a 4 PDA NR SARS | 5 SOEUR 5 HH) IINNITI A| {NVTIAIINNVELLH eS II 2 ALL em 1) ONY ORS * OO) OOS Ox ae oy) Ta Ce ee ee — SARA Ne Se SCR eo eee ne ENE DCN SA NZ AEA wR fer » pap gt St ‘aloe ° (ay ry * 5 a _OAD «a o OAS a oe a AN Ss Ts EUCEPHALA CHLOROCEPHALA. Green-headed Sapphire. An ry 5 Se PX tN a SS comes, ey 5 oo ASS Hylocharis chlorocephala, Boure. in Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854. p. 457. CY ° chlorocephalus, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255. Agyrtria chlorocephala, Reich. Troch. Enum., ene C1 5 St ry SOs 5 ry Lepidopyga chlorocephala, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil iii. p. 40, note. (oa s eS NS OY I Tuts species has some characters in common with the one I have called Eucephalas maragdo-cerulea, but it differs from that bird in several particulars of sufficient Importance to warrant its being regarded as distinct : Le oF Ly Se A 5 ( c A in the first place, there is no blue whatever on the chin and upper part of the breast, those parts being . a clear green like the remainder of the under surface; in the next, the under tail-coverts are white with a stain of olive-brown in the centre of each feather, while the same feathers in the Z. smaragdo-cerulea are green; and lastly, the upper tail-coverts are bronzy brown in the present bird, and bright green, even i f e , E r wg bane | P Sa brighter than that of the back, in the other. The Eucephala chlorocephala is a very rare bird, and its native country is I believe at present unknown ; for although M. Bourcier states that it flies in the environs of Guaranda in Ecuador, I think that gentleman must have been misinformed on this point, and that in all probability the bird inhabits Brazil; but of this I am of course uncertain. Of its habits and economy nothing has been recorded; nor is it even known whether any difference occurs in the outward appearance of the two sexes. 7 Oy a I rs * e ree @: at Ps ay Crown of the head bluish grass-green; all the upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy green; wings purplish brown; upper tail-coverts rich coppery bronze; tail uniform dark steel-blue ; chin, throat, and abdomen shining grass-green; thighs white; under tail-coverts dark olive broadly margined with white ; bill black ; base of the under mandible fleshy. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Sctodacalyw Warszewiert. .* es yx oe aah, 4 ae ~) 4 5 a lor Cy an . sce Po 5 oo Pe & ‘3S SRS, cy. ge se fiw GAA S Sie ay CEe > 7 x © at - AN Leal tl | MITT a\ 23 III WAIN 4 Il 5 EUCEPHALA CA RULEO-LAVATA, Goud. Reeves’s Sapphire. Eucephala ceruleo-lavata, Gould in Proce. of Zool. Soc., part xxviii. p. 306. Amonc the numerous persons whose acquaintance and friendship I have had the pleasure of making during the progress of the present work, no one is more highly valued by me than Mr. Thomas Reeves of Rio de Janeiro, a gentleman who has at all times most liberally furnished me with whatever information he could acquire respecting the species inhabiting Brazil, and moreover enriched my collection with some species I could not have procured elsewhere ; among which must be enumerated a very fine example of the bird figured on the annexed Plate. ‘This new and interesting bird Mr. Reeves informs me is found at St. Paul’s, and this unfortunately is all that he is enabled to tell me respecting it. This example is the only one | have seen. The Eucephala ceruleo-lavata is a stout and rather large species for a Humming-Bird, and differs widely from every other that has come under my notice; in its proportions it may be said to be perfect ; its bill being moderate in size, and its tail, which is slightly forked, well balanced when compared with its body and wings ; for its colouring I must refer my readers to the accompanying figures and the following detailed description. Iam not quite satisfied that a place in the genus Eucephala is the proper position for this bird among the Trochilide, and I feel that I might, without overstepping the bounds of propriety, have constituted it the type of a new genus. Crown of the head greenish blue, not very brilliant, but having a few conspicuous small bright-blue fea- thers intermingled ; throat and chest bright greenish blue, passing into purer green on the flanks ; back of the neck, and back, deep grass-green ; wings purplish brown; upper tail-coverts bronzy orange ; under tail coverts bronzy purplish brown ; two middle tail-feathers deep purplish bronze ; ‘ne next on each side is washed with bronze on its outer margin; the remaining feathers purplish black ; thighs greyish white ; the bill appears to have been reddish flesh-colour at the base of both mandibles and black at the tip. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Nematanthus conema. ar ee ae CALE AL, OA CL eso” St OB NS ad — opé PD SS mS 5 ay oo j 2 ots Lene Eo oa a a * Saf « or Pe ah ~.) . tS Ore rs a - Cosy as) » ohn 4, >) gab ed PF Cao) e a _ OAD «a C7 ryCw st ce B g i Py Le SANA se a Ss SS e OO» by ° 5 « ASB aes —_ I ees ae ce ey Cy CRN = » S S n AS 5 yy ‘ Uy 0 a | 4 RCPS pes iF PAS « SAD. « * SAS «a se oe aA’ "ay hart NY “Ae ay a Oye och? a oC? a ed a ~~) > Oy 7 Oy CI SAa a & en * 2Ae ss BS Pd 5 oe ok Cyc — OOF oS a % Se oN BAG « « See 29 a i a ow » ’ S SS A VY ? S4 re q ; fi | \ ( i i | (| H S fs S 4 R 4 ws x & . | a ( a ‘ ‘ al Cts MON EKUCEPHALA HYPOCYANEA, Gould. Blue-breasted Sapphire. Eucephala hypocyanea, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxvii. p. 306. Tuts is a very small but well-marked species. The specimens from which my figures and description are taken are undoubtedly adult, and there is no other Humming-Bird known to me with which it can be confounded, Its beautiful shining blue breast renders it a bird of considerable beauty, and its dark rich coppery-red upper tail-coverts is a character which the Trochilidist should not overlook when comparing it with any other species ; it must be understood also that the blue of the throat and breast is confined to those parts, while the crown of the head and all the upper surface are uniform deep green. Plate 49 of Lesson’s ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux Mouches’ appears to have been taken from a bird of this kind; but, unless we could see the type-specimen of that author, we cannot be certain that it represents this species ; and even if it does, the term ézcolor proposed by him is surely inappropriate. I have only seen a single specimen of this bird, the native country of which is unknown to me; in all probability Brazil is its habitat. Crown of the head, back of the neck, back and flanks dull green; throat and chest brilliant blue, passing into glittering green on the centre of the abdomen; wings purplish brown; upper tail-coverts red- dish bronze ; under tail-coverts brownish black with bronzy tips; tail steel-black; thighs brown; upper mandible black ; basal two-thirds of the under mandible flesh-colour, the apical third black. The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Bil/bergia Wetherelh. a ASS PS [-) AR \ 4 —~eee _ Wd Ve is) ase oy * OAD « nd » ohn 4, gab * 4 5 a OAD « a - Cae) Ft S ry oy Py A 5 Py PS OS oy AN cy SCR no i. be —T— 4 BO BB Sa » Sy are eS =< ae 5 re rt oo oN ‘ OAD « Sow a fee * oa ba -~ - . tes ” oy .- - a ~ C7 ao LJ * 6 Pe ao ~) alors yey rd BE O * 2-A® « Oy ie 5 5 Sy ® C7 A? ‘3 Cy WARS OMS ©) SP [2 ts ay TT 1 & Wa t 5 TM | 4| uy 3 vu 2| om 4 IANNTITII HHII| Cy "GRE ‘ A, Bw SN IO Pe NY VS ilo be ah dN daar » WON. th p. 82. pl. 40.8 Edi Hist. Nat. des Ois., tom. liii. p- 829.— Ih. Sonn. Edit. = XV ae / Ornismya Audebertu, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., DD exeexeml (45 DE eset 10 p. 231.—Ib. Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Trochilus, p- XXxvil i es de la Soe. Sei. de Lyon, tom. y. 1842, p. 310. pl. 16. | 3 Hylocharis cerulea, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 114, Mylocharis, sp. 34. ceruleus, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, peor Thaumatias caeruleus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Ay., p. 78, Thaumatias, sp. 12. Chlorestes coerulea, Reich. Aufz. der Col., Dave Tuts species is known to scientific ornithologists by two specific names—cerulea and Audeberti; the former of which, having the priority, is the one adopted in the present work. The Eucephala cerulea may be stated to be one of the very commonest of the Trochilide, hundreds, nay thousands, being annually sent to Europe, and mounted under glass shades for ornamental purposes. As may be supposed, these great numbers do not all come from the same source: some are sent from Brazil, others from Cayenne, and others from the island of Trinidad. I must here remark that there are two very well- marked varieties of this bird, indicated by the greater or lesser amount of blue on the throat; in all other respects they closely assimilate. The countries favourable to the existence of the variety with the deep blue colouring of the chin—the one figured on the accompanying Plate—are, French Guiana, Cayenne, Para, and the islands of Tobago and Trinidad; while the Antilles, Venezuela, and the borders of the Chamacures, a tributary of the Amazon on the eastern dip of the Andes, are as favourable to the other. The specimens I possess from the latter locality were procured by Mr. Hauxwell, while my Venezuelan examples were collected by the late Mr. Dyson. Mr. William Tucker informs me that in Trinidad it is principally found in the large woods, but is some- times met with in the more open parts of the country and on the pasture lands; and that it frequents flowers of all kinds, but appears to be especially partial to those of the Bots immortel. Mr. Reeves states, that though this species is common at Bahia it is very rare in the province of Rio de Janeiro. The nest and eggs of this bird have been figured by M. Bourcier in the fifth volume of the “ Annales des Sciences Physiques, &c., de Lyon,” and is accompanied by the following description :— “Ce nid représente un demi-ovale obliquement coupé; il est formé d’un mélange du duvet eotonneux que contiennent les capsules du fromager a fruit rond (Bombax globosum), et de celui que fournit le Baobab (Adansonia digitata), vulgairement appellé Pain de singe. Sa paroi externe, a laquelle adherent quelques corps étrangers, est recouverte d’un léger réseau de fils d’araignées. “Ce nid était plaqué vers l’extrémité de la page inférieure d’une feuille de Bambou, dont la plicature lui offrait un abri contre les rayons du soleil et contre la pluie. Dans sa cavité se trouvaient deux ceufs blancs et de forme cylindrique.” The Eucephala cerulea is a bird of great beauty, and differs from most other colouring of the chest and under surface, which it is quite impossible to represent i a drawing. wae differs in the lighter colouring of the green of the upper surface and in the almost jute throat . abc Hae the former, however, as well as the flanks, being beautifully spotted with glittering green; the outer tall- feathers also of this sex are tipped with greyish-white. s in the depth of the green The female of the head, the upper surface of the body, wing- and tail-coverts deep tail dark steel-blue, with green reflexions ; chin a deep shin g under mandible reddish The male has the crown and sides grass-green ; wings dark purplish-brown ; ce blue; all the under surface dark glittering green; upper mandible dark brown ; flesh-colour. . wines and tail as in the male, except The female has the head and all the upper surface bronZy once en “th a spot of glittering green that the outer feather of the latter is tipped with grey ; under surface white, with 2 S} > a at the tips of the feathers of the throat and flanks ; under tail-coverts a % The figures in the accompanying Plate are intended to represent the sexes the botanical name of which is Eugenia Brasilensis. of the size of life, on a plant f| i 3 G6] i q ) ai ry i ik a b i V7. Nes XS . ’ a a i j | H iq i bl i | ; q ok . i ‘ “ s ( Ni S -| 8 i d ial Cal a 5 4 IIIT tI | | i I | 2 tdi De fo ail —= = , ° = | —s p C] A 6 OR OK BOSS AS AS De SPAS PRGA PAG Ea ed a ahd No op eee ee = ES ENR ne NAPS RADA MINCE SABA SAR WABL ECON CR PO . TC roe sah, se A as PANTERPE INSIGNIS, cas. Costa-Rican Humming-Bird. Panterpe insignis, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil iii. p. 43, note. 2 se Fa Wy, co Ts S, - est Ir has fallen to the lot of the well-known Berlin ornithologist, Dr. Cabanis, to make known to science the very distinct and beautiful species of Humming-Bird figured on the opposite Plate. In point of affinity, I a know of no other species with which it can be compared ; for it is, in fact, both generically and specifically distinct from every other member of the extensive family to which it pertains. I believe that the single specimen from which Dr. Cabanis took his characters and description is the only one which has yet reached az Berlin ; this individual was procured in Costa Rica by Dr. Hoffmann, a gentleman who has done so much ey a ee to make us acquainted with the natural productions of that part of South America, but who I regret to say aha has passed away from among us. A glance at the accompanying Plate, in which the figures are about the size of life, perhaps a trifle larger, will give an accurate idea of the bird both as to form and colouring. I am greatly indebted to Dr. Peters, the Director of the Zoological Museum of Berlin, for his kindness in permitting this ornithological rarity to be sent to me in London, in order that I might be enabled to enrich the present work with a figure of it; my thanks are also due to Mr. Ferdinand Heine, for a copy of the third part of the “Museum Heineanum,” in which the species has been described by Dr. Cabanis. Crown of the head rich deep shining blue; back and sides of the neck, all the upper surface, wing-coverts, flanks, lower part of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts bronzy green, changing to deep blue on the upper tail-coverts ; wings purplish brown; tail black with steel-blue reflexions ; throat rich deep scarlet, bordered on the sides with fine yellow; centre of the breast and upper part of ae abdomen deep blue ; thighs black ; under tail-coverts bright bluish green ; bill black; base of under mandible brownish. The plant is the Begonia biserrata. ey Cer ee TRIS OS Arka > - we, = MO, CXS ©) LN SS BM Tao TRS or 2 « : pol 5 aM 0 abs Jim, SNe a ae 2 po O- AN BH A-L-S ie) ee NS ED a COs oe SS Ny D9 a ee ep — — = ae ee : —— Sa eae OE TS Let GSO ; aX aed ® 7s APRA BN 3 = ra rd JULIAMYA Typ] CA, Juliamya. Ornsmypa Jule, Boure. Rey. Zool. 1842, p. 373. Ornismya Juhe, Boure. Ann. Sci. Phys. &e. de Lyon, 1842 , p. 345. pl. 21. Hylocharis Juha, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 114, Hylocharis, sp. 24. Damophila Julia, Reich. Auf. der Col., Dae Juliamyia typica, Bonap. Rey. Zool. 1854, Dp: 205: Iv the rounded and almost cuneate form of the tail, this bird differs from nearly all the known species of Humming-birds ; it has therefore been made the type of a genus under the title of Julamya. Tt is one of those species which have been a puzzle to me, and I doubt not to all other Trochilidists ; some of the speci- mens having the crown as well as the throat and neck glittering metallic green, while in others the throat and neck only are so coloured, the crown of the head being of the same dull green as the remainder of the upper plumage ; in both cases the individuals appear to be fully adult, and otherwise coloured pre- cisely alike. It is not likely that the differences indicated are due to sex, since specimens in a totally different state of plumage, and which are doubtless females, are frequently sent with them from the same locality ; it may be that the examples with the glittering crown are very old males. The Julamya typica enjoys a wide range of habitat, extending from the environs of Bogota to Ecuador ; from both extremes, as well as from the intermediate countries, I have received examples. M. Bourcier pro- cured it at Tunja, and I am indebted to Professor Jameson for two examples from the neighbourhood of Guayaquil. Specimens were also brought to this country by the late M. De Lattre ; and I observe that some of these, like those procured by other collectors, have the glittering crown, and others not ; in either state they are very beautiful, and the species may be considered as one of the most attractive of the smaller Humming-birds. M. Bourcier dedicated this species to Madame Mulsant, who inspired her husband’s “ Lettres a Julie sur l’'Entomologie.” The male in one state has the crown, sides of the neck and throat glittermg grass-green ; all the upper surface and wing-coverts green, passing into bronzy green on the upper tail-coverts ; wing's purplish brown 3; tail steely black ; abdomen rich deep blue; under tail-coverts bluish black ; upper mandible and point of the lower mandible black ; the base of the latter flesh-colour. In another state the male has the head of the same colour as the remainder of the upper surface, the throat only being glittering green. ee The young male has the upper surface similar to the adult male last Gesoabet but the lateral tale are tipped with grey; the under surface is greyish with spangles of glittering green on the throat, and of rich blue on the upper part of the abdomen. : ne The female resembles the young male in the colouring of the upper surface and of the tail; her under surface is greyish white, washed with green on the sides of mie neck and flanks. ae The Plate represents two males in the different states described, and a female of the size of life. OMS 'e” « ey a % aS CxS CXS N, et oS 4 ee 9" G9" ON Cy OH Co 7! Walk wel & Welton J Hultrre ma ee Ee 8 5 = eee ee CIRCE LATIROSTRIS. Circe. Cynanthus latirostris, Swains. in Phil. Mag. 1827, p. 441. Trochilus Circe, Bourc. Sapphironia circe, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p- 256. Trochilus Schimperi, Sauc. MSS.—Reich. Aufz. der Col. Ind., pele A very common species, the synonymy of which has much perplexed me: on the Continent it is very generally known by the name of Circe, a term applied to it by M. Bourcier : my friend Saucerotte has also given the name of Schimpert to it in his MSS., an appellation which has unhappily found its way into our scientific lists of Humming-birds ; I say unhappily, because both Schimperi and Circe must give place to Swainson’s older name of datirostris ; but what could have induced this latter author to place the bird in the genus Cynanthus, I cannot imagine. The following is his description, which I give in his own words, in order that those Trochilidists who may not have the “Philosophical Magazine” at hand may satisfy themselves as to its identity. I may mention that the original of Swainson’s description still exists, and is in the possession of John Taylor, Esq. “Green, beneath bluish; chin and throat sapphire-blue ; tail moderate, slightly forked, bluish-black ; base of the bill depressed, red. “Total length, 3; bill, 1; wings, 2,25; tail (outer feathers), 1-3.” I have tried to find a place for this bird in one or other of the already established genera of this great group of birds, but the search not having been attended with a satisfactory result, I have been induced to change M. Bourcier’s name of Circe into a generic appellation, and to retain Swainson’s term of Jatirostris as its specific designation. = The high table-lands of Mexico would appear to be the native habitat of this species, since it is from thence alone that I have received specimens. These, as well as most of the others dispersed in European collections, were procured by the late Signor Floresi. The sexes, as will be seen on reference to the accompanying Plate, differ very considerably, the under surface of the female being brownish vinous-grey, while the male has the same part sapphire-blue and golden-green. ae il-coverts er surface of the bod The male has the head, all the upper surface, wing- and tail-coverts, and a : oat yi ee : : : ais UL ‘oat si -e-blue; tail steel-blue shiming golden-green, with a tinge of blue on the abdomen ; chin and throat oo ae 2 3 a , : 3 : : . ee - tail-coverts white; bill red at the base all but the two outer feathers on each side tipped with grey ; under tail-coverts ? : black at the tip. é ; : Bee a see rownish-grey, with a few of the The young male is less brilliantly coloured, and has the under surface brow grey, pphire- sathers > centre of the throat. ; sapphire-blue feathers on the cei ve ‘and tail samilan co Hlauotine me lenmerlte The female has the colouring of the upper surface, wings and t ‘foathers bronzy-green; the three next on each surface uniform brownish or vinous-grey ; two centre tail-feathers bronzy-green ; eee s =| “rev: 2» - one grey at 2 Das ack, side bronzy-green at the base, then black, and tipped with grey 5 the outer one grey ¢ , and tipped with greyish-white. The Plate represents the birds of the natural size. a SR ay S <6 NP wx AD, a __ ae an 5 =a - °| —" $ - a = § = C =—s ell qj | ri @ NS cK NG a w e, GF — : saat — F - } ) SWS CLO ONS Oh ete" GLO" es) OX a i a of o* @ N X , / ORO OX pe Oe a . AP, o et ey Nee | Wt, Ca e my A Ae s AG ° ee SO CEN ee ee Eee ee ak PE MARA iS 59° as ae : Fo 6 2 a RAS * VF x ~ a tS EN. x ran » 6A gt ~) oo eS Oe a cs) X-eee Aw ab aa * o CA « ~ a 6 a5 o CIRCE DOUBLEDAYL Doubleday’s Humming-Bird. pel aye . Trochilus Doubleday, Boure. in Proc. of Zool, Soc. Pp p. 299. Thaumatias doubledayi, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 78 art xv. p. 46.—Ib. in Rev. Zool. 1847, | Thaumatias, sp. 11. Cyanophaa Doubledayi, Reichenb. Auf. der Colo. 10} Hylocharis Doubledayi, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 114, Hylocharis, sp. 32 Sapphiroma doubledayi, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 256. Trochilus Lereboulleti, Sauc. MSS. iy eS So far as my knowledge extends, two specimens only of this bird have as yet reached Europe; one of these serene oS, ‘ ack } 1 om ' . a r ‘ y NNSA Sa * . 0 a a is in the collection formed by the late George Loddiges, the other in my own. It is a bird of great interest to me, since it happens to be a species which will not clash with any other: I mean, has no near ally with n which it can be confounded. It is true that the Circe /atirostris has a similarly marked tail, and also a blue breast, but it is destitute of the glittering bluish-green crown; and it is moreover fully a third larger ra i than the present bird. When M. Bourcier described the Circe Doubledayi, no satisfactory information was on record as to the BAD « aha country of which it is a native, and the Rio Negro was given as the one in which it was presumed it might be found; but that part of South America is not, I believe, the locality in which it maybe looked for ; like the Circe latirostris, it will, I think, prove to be a native of the more northern country of Mexico. Ihave two reasons for believing this: in the first place, all the Humming-Birds with obscure tippings to 7 their tails, such as /atzrostris, Caniveti, auriceps, &c., are denizens of that country; and in the second, the specimen in my collection, which was kindly given to me by my warm-hearted friend Saucerotte, has the words ‘‘Chimantla, Mexico,” written on the label attached to it. It will be seen, by the above list of synonyms, that I have found it necessary to include therein the specific name of Lereboulleti, proposed for this species by Dr. Saucerotte; that name is attached to the specimen a circumstance which enables me satisfactorily to determine that Lereboullet: of Sauce- . ~ = 58 above mentioned, rotte and Doubledayi of Bourcier are identical ; the latter name, having the priority, is necessarily the one a “A adopted. i In naming this bird after one who has since departed, M. Bourcier was desirous of paying a just compli- ment to an able entomologist and most amiable man: the name of Doubleday is too well known among the ; ny hands. os ce 7 “oa ah a O Sy a Ire workers in natural history to need any comments upon his many merits at 1 Crown of the head shining metallic bluish green; throat brilliant blue, passing into green on the breast ; upper tail-coverts, and abdomen dark bronzy green; wings purplish ith brownish grey, which lessens in extent as the edged with grey ; bill apparently red at the all the upper surface, wing-coverts, brown ; tail black, glossed with steel-blue and tipped w feathers recede from the centre; under tail-coverts brown, base, with a darker tip. he Plate represents a bird, which appears to be an adult male, Calhandra Harrisii. rs of the size of life. The plant is the CASS ASS at 2 ce 5 co.) . »& coc S 4 < a we o TA KX Pd a Se A) r U} 7 ; f Pe Na SN pee ye Tas AS hkl BSA el AN as ied pss PN A ta So 2 ao war eee ee \. 2-1 -S EB “ a es se OM BIEN BO) A CL W.clore GOB OS Salma’ & 3 & fe WS CX ORS OTS CMS ONS ey Ph SD N AR yA ee ee ee ee tal ie a —- = ~ - SY . = a C7: "Wea A = PH AZOPTILA SORDIDA, Gould. Dusky Humming-Bird. Cyanomyia ? sordida, Gould, Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 3rd ser. vol. iv. 1859, p. 97. ——_— sordida, Sclat. in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxv. p. 386. Uranomitra sordida, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil iii. p. 41, note. Or this dull-coloured and sombre-looking Humming-Bird I have seen three examples, all of which I am sure are adult, and so much alike that they present no variation in colour; it is probable therefore that the sexes are precisely similar except in size, in which point they appear to differ. The native country of this species is the western side of Oaxaca in Mexico, whence they were received by M. Sallé of Paris. At first I considered the natural position of this bird to be among the Cyanomyie, and I accordingly de- scribed it under that generic title; but on reflection I have deemed it advisable to make it the type of a new genus, a step 1am the more disposed to take from the circumstance of there being, I believe, a second species of this form from Bolanos in the Loddigesian collection. In many species of Humming-Bird tufts of white feathers occupy the sides of the back, which white tufts fall gracefully over the crossed wing when the bird is alive and sitting on the branch of a tree; in the present species this character is more than usually conspicuous, as will be seen on reference to the accom- panying Plate. brown; behind the eye a spot of white ; all the upper on each side of the back a conspicuous tuft of white ; ack on the base of the under surface ; The male has the head and under surface greyish | surface and the sides of the neck dull bronzy green ; wings purplish brown ; tail dark greenish bronze, approaching to bl under tail-coverts very pale brown with lighter edges ; bill flesh-colour for seven-eighths from the base and dark at the tip. The female is similar, but paler in colour. Sa Bs a = : eres Nes fe Pa f s as NOV The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Echinocactus visnag MD 2G Nh , , OAT ~ » GAG IOWS Ce . ise YS oo Ul £ Waltz 72, L7H a 7 MTIFULTA QA Fil D i. att, HC Rachie daz Sbould and. _— TU 5 oi Se ee ee DAMOPHILA AMABILI S, Goud. Black-throated Damophila. Trochilus (— °?) amabils, Gould in Proe. of Zool. Soe., part xix. p. 115 Damophila amabilis, Reich. Auf. der Col., pave Juliamya amabilis, Bonap. Rey. Zool. 1854, p- 255. Ir was not until long after that great emporium of novelties, Bogota, had begun to unfold its tre the scientific world, that we became acquainted with this pretty species of Humming-bird. asures to Collection after collection had been received from thence for years ; but it was not until 1851 that a single example of the Damophila amabilis made its appearance. It was from this specimen I took my description, and to which I gave the name. Since that period it has annually become.more and more common, numerous specimens having been sent from the same locality, so that this bird which was unique in 1851 is now (1859) precisely the reverse. It is a species which, in the opinion of Dr. Reichenbach and the late Prince Charles L. Bonaparte, differs sufficiently from the other forms of the family to constitute it the type of a new genus ; and accordingly the generic title of Damophila was proposed for it by the former, and Judiamya by the latter; fortunately it has not received a second specific appellation, and hence there is no difficulty with regard to its synonymy. The only information known respecting it, is that it is found in the neighbourhood of Santa Fé de Bogota. It will be seen that the female differs somewhat from the male in colour, particularly in the absence of the bright green of the crown and sides of the head. The male has the crown of the head shining metallic green; chin black ; breast beautiful violet-blue, with a line of lustrous green, commencing at the angle of the bill, passing down the sides of the neck ; upper surface bronzy green; tail-coverts and central tail-feathers greenish bronze ; lateral tail-feathers brownish black ; wings purplish brown ; under surface like the upper, but less brilliaut ; centre ore abdomen and under tail-coverts grey; upper mandible and tip of the lower mandible black, the base of the latter fleshy white. | e een; wings purplish brown; two middle tail-feathers The female has all the upper surface bronzy gr under surface dull : sieeve aloe i ith grey ; bronze, the lateral feathers bronze at the base, then black and slightly tipped with grey ; : ; ‘ Se ‘ - tail-coverts. brownish green, fading into grey on the centre of the abdomen and under tail-co [ : atural siz aT ant is the Mspeletia argented. The Plate represents both sexes of the natural size. The plant is 4S] Sa ENR A SENN — eS EKO Cy x is ) [AG « <"e pd Py \ sn ey WAY \4 {) * Sf) by ao) PE A a ery \ (: we é ye 4 — io — 4 =a ie —s = | iS ie | ty 4 | + My net Be hel Poe ae LAS Pn ® VV , eho GRINS) Sars f Ps so ae ee HYLOCHARIS SAPPHIRINUS. Red-throated Sapphire. ] S ee nus, xiMN iF Kh Je . S . Nat. O! s. Ik 24 g . . . . p- 313.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii 2. ; J : ie vi. p. 324,—Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-Birds, Le Saphir, Buff. Hist. des Ois. p- 106. pl. 58. Sapphire Humming-Bird, Lath. Gen. Sone Pe Oui ea yah p- 26.—Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. i. p. 73. pl. 35, and tom. il. p. 77 Ornismya sapphirina, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou. p. 93. pl. 14. Hylocharis sapphirina, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, v —Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 327. 5. Peale ols, OH, 58, 7/— Jl), Les Troch., s Ol. 1. jo, 115, Hylocharis, sp. 36. = sapphirinus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Ay., p. 74, Hylocharis, sp. 1. Trochilus fulvifrons, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. 39. Orangefaced Humming-Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. peel Sapphire Humming-Bird, var. A, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 328. Tue true habitat of this species is the eastern portion of Brazil, over which it would appear to be universally distributed, as I find in my collections specimens from the neighbourhood of Para on the Amazon, with others from Bahia, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Geraes ; and that this is not the limit of its range in either direction is more than probable. : My valued correspondent, Mr. Thomas Reeves of Rio de Janeiro, informs me that “it arrives in Rio during the months of July and August, and departs again in November ; that, although it is not common, it cannot be said to be rare; that it frequents the sides of the forests, and at Novo Friburgo will occasionally enter the gardens, but in such situations is rather shy.” This species has a remarkably large fleshy red-coloured bill, much dilated at the base, and in some specimens denuded of the feathers at the base of the upper mandible in a truncate form, as if they had been pulled out to a certain distance in a straight line across the forehead: I notice this peculiarity, in order to lead those who may be favourably situated for observing them, to ascertain whether this may not be induced by some peculiarity in its habits analogous to the denudation of the face in some other birds. Iam indebted to Mr. Reeves for a nest and eggs of this species, accompanied by an accurate drawing of another example, which I have taken the liberty of copying in the accompanying Plate. The nest is composed of a dull brown cottony vegetable material, bound together externally with green mosses, and decorated with numerous pieces of greyish-white lichens, dead leaves, pomons of the glossy brown involucres of some composite plant and similar substances; the eggs, as usual, are white, and two in number, seven-sixteenths of an inch in length, by five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. us would an that the nest varies according to the nature of the materials at hand; the one figured bemg formed 2 a paler coloured substance, destitute of the lichens and moss, but decorated on its lower part with pendent, narrow, pale, greyish brown ribbon-like strips of the inner lining of the bark of tre ‘no-coverts, flanks and abdomen rich deep The male has the head, upper surface, upper and under wing-coverts, Hleniks and abdc e€ hee P ck and the breast rich sappbirine blue, with violet reflexions ; shining green; chin rufous; fore part of the ne the chestnut, the two centre ones with a bronzy hue, upper tail-coverts bronzy brown; tail-feathers : : a Pl F ) ; brown: under tail-coverts light chestnut ; bill fleshy ei : C remainder edged with blackish brown; wings purple red, except at the point, which is black ; feet brown. The female has the upper surface green as in the male, ee on the throat; the under surface much paler | al ones tipped with greyish, and the the crown approaching to brown; the throat ading 1 shite , and fading into w pale rufous; only a trace of the blue on the centre of the abdomen; tail-feathers dark brown, the later middle feathers glossed with deep bronze. The Plate represents both sexes of the natural size. om ON MIAN BOM BOS Pe TAx ~) id a ns) On Ash 4 : SEEN NCE a AA BNF wl Ss Ee! : c=). h- a) * S *@*,280,+@°* 2 ba) OOo nan 2 cs HYLOCHARIS LACTEA. Blue-breasted Sapphire. Sarr Tr —— ohn 4 Py adrrn - eS > Ornismya sapphirina, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou. » pp. xxix. and 172. pl. 56. lactea, Less. Ind. Gén. et Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Trochilus, p. xxxviii. Hylocharis lactea, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 115, Hylocharis, sp. 37.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 74, Hylocharis, sp. 2. Cyanochloris lactea, Reich. Auf. der Col., p. 10. a » PAO «a Sapphironia lactea, Bonap. Rev. Zool. 1854, p. 256. « eS Lesson created great confusion when he figured this bird in his “ Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux Mouches ” as the female of Flylocharis sapphirinus, for it has no reference whatever to that species ; it is true that he corrected this error in a subsequent publication, the “Index Générale et Synoptique des Oiseaux du genre Trochilus,” and there described the bird as distinct under the name of Ornismya lactea; but this latter work is but little known and rarely consulted. The native country of this species is the northern parts of Brazil, a Am a ” y-"@ i “alan | | | | | | } i S Tce Se tt but over what extent of that country its range extends is not known: although tolerably common in our collections, it occurs less frequently than other species. The Hylocharis lactea differs from the H. sapphirinus in the darker colouring of its upper mandible, in the absence of red on the chin, and especially in the black colouring of its tail, which with the under coverts are reddish chestnut in H. sapphirinus; the white mark down the centre of the abdomen in H. lactea also serves to distinguish it. Without resorting to dissection, it is impossible to say whether the female offers any great difference from the male in her colouring ; in all probability her dress is very similar to that which ear e > 4 es a A rx s ta characterizes the females of the other species of the genus. ee * y ze 8 ~~) AN" Crown of the head, all the upper surface, and wing-coverts dull bronzy green, somewhat browner on the head; upper tail-coverts deeper bronze; wings purplish eae tail black, glossed math bronze, ae - lateral feathers slightly tipped with grey; throat and _ sides a the neck Beh eninige aeee oe green; centre of the abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts white ; upper mandible blackish brown ; under mandible fleshy white ; feet reddish brown. The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Nymphea Amazonum. “ eS Soc = . .) * —? SS ~ a Ne & “RS ) S oe ER ms <3 [AG « . eS Pri A RO 9 ee) a mW ©) Me ’ A a r " Wrasse bd ' H Saas @ Sab a) : - . a ™ LY Ah ; men Nee: rsh aid be i ye ~ a eS rid re eg A OW UN Bae POON NS et WN Bios An). . OL7O.1 . EC eT aN IUTLIYOVONUOUAYUVTASUEAY LUTON UT | HHNIIII athe h ‘4 gi “ons pa WD) . iS "A yes Oe 8 4 OM, , ox . r \* 79" i oe nf " ; PRT eT GROG —_— rs CY AT BS ty Sr aera i A @ mR ny, se a | Ve HYLOCHARIS CYANEUS, White-throated Sapphire. Trochilus cyaneus, Vieill. Nouy. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat., tom. xxiii p. 426.—Ib. Eney. Mé¢# O ee ~~ ut P. 440.—ITb. Eney. Méth. Orn., Nat. Lib. MHumming-Birds, WO, 1, jo LOZ. jal 7. Ornismya cyanea, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 199. pl. /1.—Supp p- 148. pl. 23 ren. of Birds, vol. i. pe lle Hylocharis, sp. 31. Gen. Avy.. Das Thaumatias, sp. 10. part u. p. 998.—Jard. Hylocharis cyanea, Gray and Mitch. ( Thaumatias cyaneus, Bonap. Consp. EE Tuis charming little bird, which is, I believe, strictly confined to the easter n part of Brazil, is very common in every district from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro; in which latter | srovince Mr. Reeves informs me it may be seen at all seasons. During the month o f April it frequents the gardens of the city, adding another to g country is famed. I am not only indebted to Mr. Reeves for the above information, but also for the loan of a highly finished drawing of the nest and egos of this little aithfully copied in the accompanying Plate. The construction of the nests of birds, whether simple or complicated, at all times calls forth our admirat the many charms for which that interestin gem, fresh from nature, and which is ion; but rarely has this feeling been more forcibly elicited than on the sight of the elegant and beautiful nest made by this species, for a fine example of which, the original of the drawing, I am also indebted to my valued correspondent. It is of a cup-shaped, lengthened form, and constructed of some white cottony substance intermingled with seeds of thistle-down, coated externally with bits of dried leaves, bound together with cobwebs, and decorated with woody fibres, ribbon-like strips of the inner coating of the bark of trees, and other similar materials ; these, however, are not always alike, but appear to depend upon the nature of those conveniently at hand on the approach of the breeding season, no two nests being precisely alike in outward appearance, though similar in form. The eggs are two in number, and about three-eighths of an inch in length. It would be unjust to Mr. Reeves’s artist were I to conclude my account of the nest of this species without mentioning in terms of approbation the beautiful and faithful manner in which he has represented this delicate structure. Some naturalists are of opinion that the numerous specimens sent to Europe as TES constitute more than one species, and that those with a nearly uniform black bill are quite distinct from the true cyanea; 1 have endeavoured to ascertain how far this opinion may be correct, but 7 have not as yet been aile’satisfactorily to determine this point; and until more tangible differences are Honmod! uw occur, I must consider them i be merely local varieties. Considerable difference occurs in the colouring of the sexes, ; : : “oat SO CONSPICUOUS 1 male. the female being destitute of the rich blue on the head and throat so conspicuous in the me I 2, with a few he feathers on the chin The adult male has the head, throat and breast rich deep blue, with a few of - fee eee I 1s ronze 2 er tail-coverts ; ferts gree assing ‘eddish bronze on the upper te white ; upper surface and wing-coverts green, passing into 1 Se ‘ j i . 7re 2ePHeE oO ac fe ‘ings purplis ‘own: tail bluish black ; under surface green ; bill fleshy red, deepening wings purplish brown ; tail bluish black ; 2 fie feet brow 7 Bf fenat ‘ assing into rich bronze on the lower part of the back The female has the head and upper surface green, passing a, wines and tail as in the male, except that the outer feathers of the latter < | Ss c c ay P : 1 green on the sides, and the throat spotted with pale blue. gre a female, and a nest and eggs, all of the natural size. ‘l. in which the bird is found, but the name of ’ and upper tail-coverts ; with greyish ; under surface grey, glossed witl The accompanying Plate represents two males, The little orchid is a species common to the woods of Braz which is unknown to me. a ard es mero OIE RO) ONE Jae” Set on AN io I i vy Cre % a ann fen To) A Le sd) 28 ie N. Hill | | em y ill SAPPHIRONTA GOUDOTI. Green-breasted Sapphironia. Trochilus Goudoti, Boure. in Rey. Zool. | 1843, p. 47. Saucerottia goudoti, Bonap. Consp. ( 843, os OO 0b. Asam, Sci. Phys. &e. de Lyon, 7eM. Ay p. /7, Saucerottia, sp. 6. Polytmus Goudoti, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 108, Polytmus sp. 68 Chalybura Goudotu, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p- 10. Hylocharis goudoti, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255.—Selat. in Proc. of Zool Soe part xxv. p. 17. As will be seen on reference to the accompanying Plate, the Sapphironia Goudoti is a very elegantly formed bird, and its colouring is not less worthy of admiration, its throat, breast, and under surface being clothed with glittering metallic green. It will be noticed also, that in this instance I have departed from my general rule in not figuring the female ; this omission is due to my not possessing a specimen to figure from : neither have I been able to see an example of this sex in any other collection, which is the more strange, since the male is very commonly met with; indeed, it is one of the birds sent in the greatest numbers from Bogota. That the female will differ from the opposite sex, and bear a general resemblance to the female of Sapphironia ceruleogularis, there can be little doubt. It not unfrequently happens that we receive numerous male ex- amples of a species for years before a single female is transmitted, but sometimes the contrary occurs ; indeed, even in their native country, One sex appears to be often found in numbers, to the exclusion of the other. This may account for our not having yet received the female of the present species; at the same time, it is, doubtless, the less attractive colouring of the female which prevents examples of that sex bemg skinned by the Indians, who are the principal collectors and preservers in the neighbourhood of Bogota. M. Bourcier has named this species in honour of M. Goudot, who, by his researches in New Grenada, and the collections he obtained there, has done so much to promote the cause of natural science. I trust that the single figure in the accompanying Plate will sufficiently illustrate this pretty bird, and that it will bear out what I have said as to the elegance of its form and the beauty of its colouring. All the upper surface grass-green ; under surface glittering green ; wings purplish brown ; tail-coverts bronzy green; tail purplish black, slightly washed with bronze; under ! a dee hite in others, and in others again these feathers are r mandible and tip of the lower black, the basal tail-coverts green, narrowly fringed with white in some specimens, broadly fringed with w white, with a streak only of green down the centre ; uppe two-thirds of the latter apparently flesh-colour. pa ess : ry ant is the Zrone@olum umbellatum. Che figure is of the natural size. The plant 1s the Zrope@olum . trots da 5 TTT 4 Tarn 2| 3} cm 1| HNNVITIIIUITI || SAPPHIRONIA CA RULEOGULARIS Gould Blue-throated Sapphironia. Trochilus ?) eeruleogularis, Gould in Proc. of S Il 4g rould in Proce. of Zool. Soe., part xvii. p. 163. ———. Duchassaigni, Boure. Com > Acs it ! : g : pt. Rend. de l’Acad. des Sei., tom. xxvxii. Dels7. Thalurania Colina, Boure. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1856, p- 952. Cyanochloris ceruleigularis, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., pel: Sapphironia ceruleigularis, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 256 oO Hylocharis (?) ceruleigularis, Sclat. in Proc. of Zool. Soce., part xxiv. p. 140. I nave not placed the Zrochilus Duchassaigni and Thalurania Celina of M. Bourcier among the synonyms of the present species without due consideration and a careful comparison of the typical specimens one with the other. The 7. Duchassaigni is a young male of the bird here represented which had not fully attained the blue colouring of the throat. ~ The specific name Celina not having been given till a year later than my own of ceruleogularis, it must give place to that term; besides which, the bird is not a Thalurania. In form, this species and Sapphironia Goudoti are precisely alike, and these birds form a minute but well- marked section of the Trochilide, the species of which are characterized by great elegance of form, as well as by the beauty of their colouring: the under tail-coverts of both species are very conspicuous and extremely pretty. M. Verreaux has received this bird in tolerable abundance from Santa Martha ; my own were obtained in Costa Rica, and M. Bourcier’s from Panama; it is clear, therefore, that New Grenada, Panama, and Costa Rica are the countries in which this bird flies. Mr. Bridges informs us that it is found in the very streets of the town of David, feeding on the Zamarindus Indicus and orange-trees, and that, like all other Humming- Birds, it is very pugnacious, and constantly fighting with others of its species. A marked difference is observable in the colouring of the sexes,—the female, although having the same lengthened form as the male, being devoid of the bright blue of the throat and the fine green of the ab- domen—those parts being greyish white; these, as well as other differences, will be readily perceived on an inspection of the accompanying figures, or a perusal of the following descriptions :— iS, ¢ é or tail-coverts grass-ereen ; throat, sides of The male has the upper surface, shoulders, abdomen, and under tail-cover . g ; ee 1 enlish brown : central tail-feathers bronzy green ; lateral feathers the neck and chest rich violet-blue ; wings purplish brown ; central tail-feat or ; ; eee ip of <, the bas “tic re latter ashy y ; the purplish black ; upper mandible and tip of the lower black, the basal portion of the le ashy ; i j pap nay a SI ver orey. under tail-coverts, which are largely developed, green, margined with silvery grey cee face ack, the two central feathers glossed with 3 D The female has the upper surface bronzy green; tail purplish bl ale has the upper surfé oe ntre of the throat, abdomen, and under bronze, the four lateral feathers on each side tipped with white; ce tail-coverts white. Be ‘nhea silenoides. ‘ ance in ant is the Cuphea silenot The figures are those of the male and female of the size of life. The plant f: e SPORADINUS ELEGANS UU A Fecllrandd. & Wal {IIH i Raia lene es ITTIITATYIVAY TTY a| 3 a oe |e py — eee a SPORADINUS ELEGANS Ad. XM OO, St. Domingo Humming-Bird. Trochilus elegans, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. Dor., vol. ih p. 32. pl. 14 Ormsmya Swainsonii, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., Ae 197 1. 70 [ 3 Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Trochilus, De xox ee Hylocharis elegans, Gray and Mitch. Gen. ot Birds, vol. ciy., ETylocharis sp. 18 : De 7 Lampornis, sp. 4. - Riccordia elegans, Reich. Auf. der Col., Dec Lampornis elegans, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av Sporadinus elegans, Bonap. Rev. Zool. 1854, p. 255 Tuts species was first described and well figured in the “ Oiseaux Dores” of MM. Audebert and Vieillot as long back as 1802, yet, strange to say, although its true habitat, and a brief account of its habits are there given, M. Lesson states in his ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux Mouches” that the bird is found in Brazil,—a statement as unfounded as it is unlikely. “This bird,” says Vieillot, “inhabits St. Domingo; it is rarely found near habitations, but is often met with on the borders of the great woods, where it perches in preference on the tops of the trees, and gives forth a song resembling that of the little Humming-bird. This beautiful species is rare; and I only procured two males, while flying round a cotton tree and examining its flowers.” The late exploration of St. Domingo, by M. Sallé, has furnished us with positive proofs of its being a denizen of that island, to which, without doubt, it is strictly confined, since from thence alone have specimens been received. M. Salleé’s collection contained numerous examples of both sexes, shot in the interior of the island, in the neighbourhood of La Vega, and at Rancho Abajo, where he killed them while searching for their food on the flowers of the Inga feculifera?. This bird differs in form sufficiently from every other known (except perhaps Réccord/), to warrant its separation into a new genus; and two names have accordingly been proposed for it, that of Riccordia by Dr. Reichenbach, and that of Sporadinus by the late Prince Charles L. Bonaparte: as will be seen, the latter appellation is the one I have adopted. The Sporadinus elegans, as its specific name expresses, is a very gracefully formed bird, all the various parts of its structure being alike elegant in contour, and harmonious with each other. It will be seen that more than the usual difference occurs in the colouring of the sexes: a more sombre garb than that in which the female is clothed can scarcely be imagined. The male has the head, neck, all the upper and under surface of the body and the wing-coverts dark purplish black; throat and sides of the ich 1 ors F black 5 f ible black ; under neck shining golden-green, beneath which is a conspicuous spot of black ; upper mand ack ; mandible black at the tip, the basal two-thirds being fleshy white. : e dull bronzy green ; central tail-feathers dark bronzy at the base and at the tip, the intermediate ashy brown, washed with green on the bronzy green; wings purplish brown; upper tail-coverts and tail ‘ green deepening The female has all the upper surfac into black towards the extremity, the lateral feathers grey portion being blackish brown glossed with green; under surface flanks. en Gi ‘. the Pharbitis cathartica. Sha ¢ aera , » plant is the Pharbetas The figures represent both sexes of the siz of life. ‘The pl 5 \\{\I| 4 \\| HK { 2 v 2 cm 4| HI SUUUGUCAUUN NN \| C sO OC ES SS Die 74 NG ow Ce See “AeA WO -SAM- 2 SPORADINUS RICCORD] Riccord’s Hum ming-Bird. | Orthorhynchus Ricordi, Ramon de la Sagra, Hist. de Cul ] SSRIS. Ce Wilba, pe W228) 4 5 eo jad At re > P. 48. tab. 21. fig. 2 Ornismya Parzudhaki, Less. Rey. Zool. 1838, p. 315. eee moradinus ricordi, Bona ev. et Mac Sporadin onap. Rey. et Mae. de Zool. 1854, p- 255 Ps vo ° . \ PONT «¢ . > - ; Hylochai is Ricordi, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds WO te yo, WIL 7 I 7 Goey. Map. de Zool. 1835. Os 1. a og ordi, . Mag. de Zool. 1835, Ois. Trochilus, sp. 2. Riecordia Raimondi, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p. 8 | sp. 23. , pls. 41, 42.—Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p- 81 Chlorestes riccordu, Gundl. in Cab. Journ. fiir Orn. 1856, tom. ; 99 . 1856, vane 9: [ nave frequently had occasion to remark alee aspen q y he ‘ remark how limited are the areas affected by so i : ; f birds, many being y some species of this great group of birds, many being confined to even the smallest of the Wes . : 5 s allest of the West Indian Islands; indeed, most of those islands are tenanted by species peculiar to each, and Cuba is ane Coen a 5 | , /uba 1s not an exception to the rule,—two, at least, of the species which fly there are no » fi ‘lsewhere Steen a E . : a a be found elsewhere. Besides being remarkable for the limited extent of its habitat, this species 1s rendered ¢ ic Sea GhCnninNrns : ee " | | ered conspicuous by differing in structure from (with one exception ) all the other members of the family; this difference of structure eee . oh a : ) s difference of structure, however, is only appreciable by the Tro- chilidist and those who have paid much attenti , fect. The dite . eae ae i pi attention to the subject. The differences referred to principally consist in the long ai rked for ’ the tail, « > peculiar s ene : i. ng id forked form of the tail, and the peculiar shape of the feathers of which it is com- osed,—features which are fe j . “4r specie ; SC ema : ee “hs ee te oes are found in one other species only, the Sporadinus elegans, a bird inhabiting the island of St. Domingo. I have great pleasure in extracting a short note from the ‘ Journal fiir Ornithologie,’ a publication of great merit and interest, issued by our German coadjutors under the superintendence of the learned orni- thologist, M. Cabanis. The note 1s, I believe, from the pen of Dr. Gundlach, who states that the Sporadinus Riccordi is “a very common bird on the island of Cuba, which it never leaves throughout the year. I have found fresh-laid eggs in January, May, and September. I once found a nest that had probably served the same bird for years ; it was, iv this case, a nest built upon an old one, and, after this operation had been the whole structure had turned over ou one side, a new nest had been built They nest, as I said above, almost throughout the year. The eggs set upon for fourteen days before the young appear ; when bright down upon the back. The very short repeated for five or six nests, upon it, and a second again upon this. of each brood are two in number, white, and are the latter come out of the eggs they are black, with some diminutive beak, which is then rather broad than long, is whitish.” The following note respecting this species is from the pen of M. Alcide D’Orbigny, and is to be found in M. Ramon de la Sagra’s ‘ Histoire de Cuba,’ p. 29 :— “Far from migrating, like the Red Humming-Bird (Zrochelus colubris), this is one of the stationary inha- bitants of the island of Cuba, which it never leaves, and of which it is one of the most beautiful ornaments. The inhabitants (to imitate, doubtless, the sound which it makes whilst flying) give it the name of Ln: Lain g in its plumage and habits, its works are likewise not without merit. Artificially bull, a silk which surrounds the seed of Asclepias anasarica, \ts nest 1s attached often composed of wool from the : ie like that of all the Trochilidee, it contaims only one or two eggs; from which ak very short.” but in form they are very similar,—the Interestin to the forks of young twigs ; the young are produced, who, at their birth, have the be colouring of the sexes of this bird, Much difference occurs in the f the tail. female having the same peculiarity in the shape 0 For the loan of the fine female from which my f ction not being eraced W of my friend M. Bourcier of Paris, my own colle 2 on in this country. ioure of that sex was taken, I am indebted to the liberality . 1 Onan far as I am ith one; neither, so far as 4 ¢ aware, is there one in any other collecti the bronzy hue predominating on the head, purplish brown; four bronze on their outer t the male is bronzy green, the throat and under a purplish black, glossed with Or ill dark brown, except a The entire plumage of the body of the and the green becoming very luminous on central tail-feathers dark bronze, the remainder dark a streak of brown been reddish. ; all the upper surface, Wing tail as in the male, ail-coverts buffy white. the Lacepedea insig ns. surface; wings cee tail-coverts white, with down the centre; b base of the under mandible, which appea The female has the crown of the head brown ; the neck and flanks bronzy green ; wings purplish 7 greener ; throat and centre of the abdomen pale ee The Plate represents both sexes of the size of life. tail-coverts, sides of y hue somewhat rs to have -coverts, 1 but the bronz yrOWN § under t The plant is ——— A 7 Lees BAhLae@ or a fa is ee 4 DUI ONO) GWAYE Py Ans BAS Dy y, y J re row 4 OE & ao ey i i PAO: AN OA Lae La Bee a te ee a i oN SPORADINUS? MauGgay 19 ° Mauee’s Humming-Bird, a eles Maugeus, Vieill. Dict. Hist. Nat., tom. vii, Pe tude coVieilll Ocarina nee : : Ss. dor., tom. 1, pp. 77, 79,80, and Ss, By, Y3,— 2 iej Mé Woe ten oe oe a Vieill. Eney. Méth. Orn., part iii, p. ul. Hist. Nat. des Ois., Sonn. édit., tom. liii, p- 237 Ornismya Maugei, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois.-Mou., p. 194 ls : : | ape » pls. 68, 69.—Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Genre Trochilus, p. XXII. Trochilus Ourissia, auct. ? SS ee ee Ir is very interesting to the ornithologist to observe th; ; r i g g y observe that most of the West India Islands, particularly those of any extent, are tenanted by species of birds which are not found in the others The Sporadinus Maug@i is a native of Porto Rico, and, as far as we yet know, is peculiar to that island ; strange to say, however, no other specimens besides the two contained in the Museum of the Jardin des Plantes have ever reached Europe. Here, then, is an island that has not yet been visited by the ornitho- logical collector; had it been, the bird would ere this have become common. As to affinity, the S. Maug@i is more nearly allied to the §. Ricordi than to any other; at the same time it differs in form, being intermediate between it and the long-tailed Mexican species to which I have applied the generic name of Chlorosti/bon, or, rather, to those bearing that of Chlorolampis, of which the C. auriceps and C. Caniveti are typical examples. Its tail is still more forked than those of the latter, but not so much so as those of the former ; but it differs from both in not having the conspicuous bands at the terminations of the central feathers. I think it necessary to go into these particulars because I have hinted elsewhere that probably some future ornithologist may think it requisite to assign to this bird a distinctive generic appellation. The following short note and description are translated from Audebert and Vieillot’s ‘ Oiseaux dorés,’ above referred to :-— “This species has not yet, I believe, been described. Maugé being the first to make it known, I have given it his name. Its only habitat is one of those islands, Porto Rico, which by its position offers to our notice productions similar to those of St. Domingo. It is three inches and seven lines in length; the upper mandible is black, and the lower yellowish; the upper part of the body is of a beautiful golden green; the lower is of the same colour, but more brilliant, with blue and violet reflexions ; the lower part of the belly is white ; the feathers of the wings and of the tail are of a velvety black which changes into bluish violet ; the lateral tail-feathers are fourteen lines in length; the others all diminish in length up to the nS diaries, which are the shortest ; the wings when folded somewhat exceed the latter; the feet . eee The following are my own notes on the colouring, taken during the present year, 1861, from the specimens in the Jardin des Plantes :— inclining per upper surface dull grass-green, inclining to blue on the upy with a stain of blue on the chest; wings upper mandible black; under mandible “The male has the crown glittering green ; tail-coverts ; throat and all the under surface glittering green, purplish brown ; tail uniform steel-blue ; under tail-coverts green ; reddish flesh-colour with a black tip. “The female has the upper surface green ; 8 neck, and flanks green ; two centre tail-feathers green, the rest a y blue near the tip: the two outer feathers tipped with greyish w ai + ane pene The figures represent the two sexes of the size of life. The plant} i upper surface, sides of the ‘reyish white 5 > under surface greyish w ; me ee banded with steel- enish grey at the base, Lat v ws b ny PF Le 6a ewe ONES PRS 1 , + > x nae ea i Pi» ( To * ed ue ae LL + * oO - 7% * Cac LP a” med rf Da oe MP = | % te F yee XS Sy oy SZ iy La mya ry ra J oe 7S Ley Me) > CS J t yt O fa v \ D | Cf aed i v4 5 br EN ON S rs * 5 EY SAD « 5 A Ath aS a +4) Ss Pe & oe ala aa cS L? : 7 * Az) “ ~ ef = aS ) fos a 1 ray © Fo & . ar Pay Ce by 4 Ah’ ey ee a} ot Rey ad cai a 2 ed Or gs . ro Chae 4 rn ~~ es GNSS 5 ~ a 6) ~~! Ss eye aC ps £5 Ava . .) * oe pe ci So oe Ne ” & rs 9 * Sy oy wear es ~) rN ©) Se 0) Fao . J pba ELASTASE. ON arr myer || 2 3 em 1) LHANASONTTHNNTTHUNNTNTT TT YAGIYO or 2 f Kn “t aS ; , Ka olor. ae ‘ ios 6 Be i OE ee SA Bal | cae eG hoe CA , ae " CHLOROSTILBON AURICEPS, Gowa Long-tailed Emerald. Trochilus (——— °) auriceps, Gould in Jard. Cont. to Orn. 1852 p37 Ix placing this new and highly interestine cles | . 9 ; , c pk ehh eresting species in the genus Chiorostilbon, 1 feel assured that I am \ very regular gradation, with reg tail, occurs between the present bird and the assigning it to its natural position. ar ‘ 7 | ard to the structure and form of the razil, while in the form of the bill ; | : glittering metallic ¢ ring’ of Br e bill and in the glittering metallic colouring of the body they are as nearly ance occurs in the females of all the species. It is a fact no less true than interesting, that the members of this genus from the countrie alike as possible ; and a still greater resembl s lying northward of the Isthmus of Panama differ specifically from those found in Brazil and Columbia: and, as if to mark their separation still more strongly, they all possess a more or less forked tail, tipped or banded at the extremity of each feather with grey, a feature which is particularly conspicuous in C. Caniveti and the present species; the bifurcate form of the tail, too, appears to be carried to its maximum in the bird here represented, thereby rendering it of a particularly elegant and graceful contour. The discovery of the CA/orostilbon auriceps is due to the researches of the late M. Floresi d’Areais, who obtained several examples of both sexes in Mexico, and which now grace my own collection; I regret to add, that the precise locality in which they were procured is unknown to me. The male has the forehead and crown of the head of a glittering metallic golden hue; upper surface and wing-coverts golden-green ; throat, and the whole of the under surface lustrous metallic green; wings purplish-brown ; tail, which is deeply forked and longer than the body, purplish-black, all but the outer feather on each side obliquely tipped with greyish-green ; bill reddish at the base, and black for the remainder of its length. The female has the head, upper surface and flanks bronzy-green ; wings purplish-brown ; under surface dull grey; central tail-feathers shining green; the remainder, except the outer one on each side, green at the ce then black, and slightly tipped with grey; the outer feather on each side green at the base, then grey, next black, and lastly tipped with greyish-white. The Plate represents the birds of the size of life. other species intervening between it and the C. prasinus of ee INH 5 4 —= ETNNNJTTITYUONNNITTTHUUTHHI CHLOROSTILBON C aN . Canlvet’s ANIVET iL Kmerald. Ornismya Canivetii, Less. Suppl. des ( is.-Mou des Ois. du Gen. Trochilus. P Thaumatias Can ete. | +> Pp. 174, ee Is. ay 89 - XXU1.— Ih, »95.—Tb. Ind. Ge : nh. et Sy Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 15 ae : Onap. ( onsp. Gen. Ay PIO ‘yy : > P. 13, Thaumatigs on a lamanots, ] : | oe Riecordia Canivetii, Reichenh. \uf. der Col. p. 8 — Sporadinus Caniv th. Bx nA? I n . \ r , ett, Bonap. Rey. et Mae. de Zool. 1854. Pp 255 Selat. i _— “ee —Sclat. in Proc. of Zool. Soe., Hylocharis Caniveti, Gray and Mitch. ( ren. of Birds vol. j : | | » VOLT. pp. WIA. Hala Chlorestes Hacherlinii. Reichenh. Auf. der Col Di 42 7 os a hlorostilbon ca ia Clad , : : Chlorostilbon caneveti, | Clat. and Saly. in This. vol. i. p. 130 rs t [In no instance does false information as to locality more frequently occur ; y occur than ; . great group of Hummineg-Birds os 7 = an among the me great £ | MMS Irds, and thus the Chlorostilban Caniveti the described as an inhabitant of mbers of the bird here represented, has been a country uy hich 7 ‘ ver i a j ountry in which it has never existed, The bird figured by Lesson on » . . ’ » 88th plate of his ‘Sup | S us vs ae the es pplement * has u ually been considered by more recent naturalists to be, as M : s 8 : ue states, the yvoune of MS SNecies - : 5 Lesson stat e young of this species; but I observe that Dr. Reichenbach considers it to be not only a new and distinct bird, but as belonoine to a very iy ; a new al ) is belonging to a ve ry different genus, and that, entertaining this impression ye re) WINS s he has assigned it a new name, that of Chlorestes Haeberlinij ‘ | signe | Now from this view I must dissent, at least m part: it is Just possible that the plate in question may not represent the young of the present. species but it certainly does represent the young of a Chlorostilbon.—of what species, however, neither Dr. Reichen- bach nor any living Trochilidi t can determi » | : 7 os r Ed ALO ILLS c line ul | Sg » ‘ ¢ nr e fs = a9 ca ; Le he had an opportunity of examining the typical specimen from which the figure was taken: consequently the grounds for naming it as distinct are very 7 : nen al ‘ : reatara lana 2 P asaha mala ; 3 Z . e slight indeed, and I have therefor placed Dr. Reichenbach’s name among the synonyms to C. Caniveti, giving him the benefit of the doubt which exists in ms mind as to his having come to a right conclusion upon this part of the history of the bird, which, after all, cannot be of interest to any one but the compiler of Enough, I am sure, has now been said names and lists of species. It is time to say of what country it really is a native, and something about its habits and economy. Speaking of its habitat in a wide sense, it may be said to extend over Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Costa Rica, as it is found in all, but I believe it is confined to the eastern parts of those countries ; in Western Guatemala its place is supplied by the nearly-allied species which I have named C. Osherti—a bird which differs in its much smaller size rather than in any variation in its colouring. The country of Cordova, in Mexico, would appear to be a favourite locality of the C. Caniveti; indeed it would seem to be very common there, if we may judge by the numerous ex unples, together with their nests and eggs, which were brought from thence by M. Salle. M. Lesson must have become aware of his having made a mistake in giving Brazil as the habitat of this bird, for in the ‘ Revue Zoologique’ for 1839 he states that M. De Lattre had killed it at Kakamoakho in Mexico, but that it was rare in the neighbourhood of Jalapa. M. De Lattre informed him that it “leads a i ¢ solitary life, either in the forests or by the borders of the little foot-paths, choosing one spot and wanderin but little from it.” In its general contour this is a very elegant bird, its body, bill, wings and tail beine all wale portioned : the last-mentioned organ is ample and considerably forked, and has nearly all the feathers tipped with silvery grey, offering a contrast to the colours of the surrounding feathers; its oe breast, and under Srface 7 brilliant in the extreme, so much so as to nearly rival the same parts in C. auriceps, to ‘ch it mav at all times be distinguished which species it is more closely allied than to any other, but from which it may at all times g by its shorter and broader outer tail-feathers. colden: all the upper surface, wing- and tail-coverts rich : the central feathers tipped with grey, specimens are destitute of this The male has the crown of the head rich tail deep purplish black, | , hich in some lessening xtent as they approach the external ones, one oe Bs coder ecriace ¢ washed with a golden hue on the flanks and undet golden green; wing's pale purplish brown ; mark ; throat and under surface elittering erass-green, at the tip. | and flanks green; wings purplish brown ; the remainder of their tail-coverts ; thighs white; bill coral-red at the hase, darker all the upper surface ereen at the base, thei ; the outer feather on each side 1s ; throat and under The female has the crown golden brown ; 3 next on each side are ‘no of grey at the tip; leng Ing *plis lac vith a narrow edging of gre} 2 Berne cs bond behind the eye a patch of white two centre tail-feathers green; the three Srey, crossed hy a broad hand of purplish black . "The ee oT; 5 Ss | | | illian han he adul 9 anc as a small spo of - | | hh ess V1 di he VOUuUDg’ male | posses IS imilar to, hut muc t t t ft 1 1h Ss Siz t grey at the tip of the outer feathers of the tail. ry : firs 5 SI ‘life The ylant 1S | ‘ female of the VAG of life. ] he ] late represents two male and a we ON pK t ie ie 5 ITT] ' i | ITI 4 | | ITLL 3 IT | I] Il || 3} | | ni cH Bl ii | | a SI See .) H LOROST] B BON OSBERT] Gould Osbert’s Kmerald. Chlorostilhon Osherti \ r( uld in Proe ot ZL, ] , ( e— V | S ] ? : VOL. 1 Os par XXVIII ) 309 S 7 ’ c AL . . . Sal . an¢ 4 Ibis, vol, ll. p: t{O0.—Saly. | 2 eee b. pp. 195, 263, 269, 271. 1 ° : nese < haroacetar . . Y . Puts little Humming-Bird has m my characters in common with the Chlorostilbon Caniveti it displays the surface, and is nearly as fine on the are compared with exain] be very evident that the two birds are distinct. saine metallic brilliancy on the plumage of its under ; oe ae a ‘rown ; but i specimens of the C. Osderti from Duejas les of C. Caniveti from Mexico, it will . Canive xico, Independently of being of smaller size. jts tail is less forked, and the feathers, instead of being conspi- specimens the central feathers are tipped with green ; always the colour in freshly-moulted birds, and that the brown hue is only the result of exposure to light andair. It is just possible that there is another species of this form, of even smaller size than the present bird, inhabiting the ] cuously. are verv faintly tipped with brown : in some and it is a question whether this is not sthmus of Panama; but Treally hesitate to describe a specimen I possess from thence until other examples shall have arrived and proved the truth of this supposition. If 1 mistake not, the Chlorostilbon Osherti will be found to range over a very considerable extent of country ; in all probability from Panama to Guatemala. I have named this bird in honour of Mr. Osbert Salvin, a gentleman who has so praiseworthily exerted himself to make us more intim itely acquainted with the birds of Guatemala, and whose notes referring to this species, which I give below, brief though they be, will be of interest :— “A pair of this species resort to the flowers about our house at Duenas. “One specimen was shot on the Volcan de Fuego, at an altitude of about 5000 feet above the sea-level, the highest altitude at which I have yet observed tt. « Duri eastern side of the lake.” ; sci hie eae ee In speaking of the brilliant colouring of the bills of another species of Humming-Bird, Mr. Salvin remarks, ig the months of August and September this species may be found among the trees on the south- ; arency of the ar fi * the bill allowine the “T may mention that it appears to be due to the transparency of the outer film of the f ing blood * show through, and not to any especial colouring-matter. This seems to be the case also in many : : “Ty ate OF , in anotis.” XC. other species, as in Chlorostilbon Osherti, [elope dica mel ~ ‘ a ” a E ATI N ‘ommon at San Geronimo. The C. Osberti is found at ‘* Duenas and San Geronimo. Not uncor at Si ; ‘no of the sexes: the female, although bearing A very considerable difference is observable in the colouring of the sexes; the female, a g aring fo ‘even a still more sombre hue. ew yeing of even a still more som a general resemblance to the female of C. Caniveti, being - our 5 alr nN) f | | littering rolden oreen 5 throat and all the under surface glitter Ing The male has the crown of the head ol : | i 7 us 5 =~ 7 , SI el Ts ahh ‘ 5 V1 hb 1 mark O LOW 9 es ll} | lj h blac] $ tail black, the IX central feathers termin ited wit c c : ae . | e | Ss I 1 are the wo central feathers ar whic h more col icuous In some specimen than in others ; In some also tw feat e€ , 5 ore Con ) ts Ss s : ase, black at the tip. : > oreen : ‘oral-red at the base, blac ka ae ole Seay ae ee oreen; bill coral-r ll the upper surface shining green; wings purplish brown ; a e Pe] C x oO c ee > 1 » ' oe re ° hed with green and the two lateral ones tipped with grey ; 1e = = e . oe © Ee hand of greenish grey near their base; under surfac a Ve LTC s 5 Pe) The female has the head ereenish brown ; tail dark bluish black, the two central feathers was : these latter feathers, moreover, have an indication ol dull greyish buff. Semeiandra erandifiora. f the size of life. The plant 1s the Semeiandra grandife The Plate represents both sexes of the siz : ger PIS OA Lae AGA LELLLET TTT EEE rere OO a 3| 4| 5 CHLOROSTILBON , ML ANGUSTIPENNIg Columbian Kmerald. Trochilus angustipennis, Fras. in Proc, of Zool. Soe. part vin. p. 18 Hylocharis angustipennis, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i ‘ 14 Tylocharis 21 pre Ap) : > r vere > ’ “US, Sp. ° — chrysogaster, Boure. Rey. Zool. 1843, p. 10h eh Ann. Soe Sci. Pl : N Lyon, 1843. p. 402 : - Ehys. et Nat. chrysogaster, Bonap. ( onsp. Gen. Ay., tom. 1. p. 74, Hylocharis sp 7e—l)h Rey , Mao oo gE Orr > 1 . — ; é et Mag. de Zool. 1854, Pp. 295 ’—Gray and Mitch. Gen, of Birds, y Hylocharis, S] Pi | Ole palilias ». 43 °—Selater in Proce. of Zool. Soc., part xxv. p.17? In attempting to investigate the little gree ing-Bir . Onn 2 | a g green Humming-Birds, the ornithologist enters upon a task of no ordinary difficulty. Many have been the days I have spent in endeavouring to correctly Separate into species aurigaster, and angustipennis, with, in every inst but a satisfactory result ; and, had I not had access to the typic the birds known by the name of chrysooasser : kK ) ysogaster, ance, anything al specimens to which these terms had been 0 have achieved what I have done in the present work. Of one thing I am certain, namely, that the angustipennis of Fraser and the e applied, it would have been impossible t hrysogaster of M. Bourcier are one or I have the types of both now before me, and they do not differ in the slightest degree. M. Bourcier, I believe, considered his chrysogzaster to differ and the same bird: f from angustipennis in having a brilliant crown ; but his type-specimen, with the name of chrysogaster written by his own hand, is destitute of brilliancy on that part; I am therefore induced to consider that both names have reference to the same species, and thus the law of priority compels me to adopt that of angustipennis, and sink chrysogaster to the rank of a synonym. As to the aurigaster, 1am still in doubt. We really want better information respecting the little green Humming-Birds, and a larger number of specimens than we now possess, before the various species can be determined with accuracy ; at present, we do not even know with certainty the female of the very common bird here represented ; in all probability she will have all the under surface grey washed with green on the flanks, and a tail, unlike that of the male, with the two centre feathers green, the two next green at the base, then black, and white at the tip, while the two outer ones will probably be green at the base, succeeded by three nearly equal bands of grey, black, and greyish white. I have a Sa from Panama which Secpors to this description, and which I think may be the female of the present species ; est such should not be the case. but I have not ficured it, : ayer aet ae pA renee “om Pani o Bogota; 1 The Chlorostilbon angustipennis ranges over the whole of the Andean region from Panama t gota ; : . heh lands of abia. may, in fact, be said to inhabit the temperate portions of all the high lands of Columbie -olden bronze, passing into green on the Crown of the head, all the upper surface, and wing-coverts golden bronze, passing ae g tail black elossed with dark green; throat luminous golden green, sides of the neck, flanks, and abdomen ; under tail-coverts dible flesh colour at the base, black at the tip ; feet upper tail-coverts ; wings purplish brown ; becoming of a richer and more golden hue on the brilliant grass-green ; upper mandible black ; lower man blackish brown. The figures are of the natural size. rl @ gine PG CF 5 Ma Ne I Ne | | CHLOROSTILBON PHAETHON Gli a rlittering Kmerald. Trochilus phaithon, Boure. Rey. Zool. 1848, p. 274 . AOOl. 1545, p. 274. ——— yheton, Gri { =e ‘ oe ast __ = Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. iti. App. p. 300 Chlorestes Phaéthon, Reich. Aut. der Col p. 7.—Ilb. Trocl p. 300, App. to p. 103. ; a +» P- #.— LD. LTOC ‘\ Hylocharis phaéton, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854 : i — . 4 Ue AA ° Oot, p- 255. aureiventris, Bonap. Rev. et Mae. de Zool. 1854 1 Onn similis , ‘ 7 \ ae ow is, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., tom. 1. p. 74, Hylocharis, sp. 4? Chlorolampis phaéthon, Cab. Mus. Hein. Theil im. p. 48 A ie = a . , . p. 45, note. Trochilus flavifrons, Gould, Zool. of Beagle, part mi. Birds, p. 110 metallicus, Gould, MS. » BP Ornismya aureiventris, I’ Orb. and La Fresn. Syn A p 9a Trochilis similis, Boure. 2 Ir we co side ( { ic- ( -1) Ss ) 1 IU 1 ( ) I ft 3 sl I h me alli r lumage | v iV] | 1A | Hummin J lI | | livia, | er l, c nd a I late ) e one a id he same species, the is bird en] a rang i i i | . hen this bird enjoys a range extending across the continent of South America from east to west. t is true cime Y itl | is rue that the specimens from the three localities above mentioned have received distinct they offer no marked difference. The bird frequenting the high MM. D’Orbigny and La Fresnaye the Peruvian bird so common and the one from La Plata that of specific appellations, but, except in Size, lands of Bolivia was named aureire ntris by at Chuquesaca had the name Phaéthon nesipned to it by M. Bourcier flavifrons, by myself. . | The typical specimen from which M. Bourcier “r the largest in size took his description of Phaéthon is now before me ; it is evidently the C os . . ; idently the Chuquesacan bird, and is by f when compared with the examples from specimens were procured by Mr. Darwin, are the other localities mentioned ; those from Monte Video, where th syft In si7e_ ; : 4 . . ° . : e next in size, and the aureiwentris 1s the least ; all are precisely alike in form and colour, their only In their admeasurements. difference being, as already mentioned, Time, and taken from Chuquesacan birds. termine whether we are s of M. Bourcier ? size of life, were locality, can alone de what is the Trochilis simili My figures, which represent both sexes of the 2 90 aden . . e . the acquisition of a greater number of specimens from every three species : Sarranted in considering these birds as one 0 golden bronze, but inclining to green ereen; throat and breast neck and abdomen ; and wing-coverts rich elossed with deep the sides of the The male has the head, all the upper surface on the upper tail-coverts ; wings purplish brown ; tail black, into the elitteril red at the base, 1 coppery bronze of with a darker tp. e on the flanks ; glittering emerald-green, merging bill apparently fleshy rey beneath, ped with grey The p under tail-coverts green ; The f F ar ings purplish [he female is bronzy green above and gt washed with bronz wings pur] the two lateral feathers tip es of the natural size. ish white. lhiandra Tweedie. brown ; tail bluish black, lant is the Co The PI- Phe Plate represents the two sex ] | | } | | ee — =e a CH LOROSTILBON PRASINUS, Brazilian Emerald. ne No state of confusion can be greater than that which exists respecting the smal] or terms prasinus and atala especial ; gree with the figures of the impossible to determine with certainty . ee a . een Humming Birds, and ‘ularly as to which o lem the i particularl The two birds commonly by M. Lesson, and indeed it is intended they should represent ; ly belong. known by those names do not ; birds so called what birds he I therefore propose to retain those names for the birds generally known among collectors by these appellations. The true habitat of the bird here represented is the eastern part of Brazil, over which it ranges fr Janeiro, in which latter province it is very apparently local, varieties of this bird; but the tint of the colour alone, and not in their om the abundant. I have in my as the difference consists in river Amazon to the latitude of Rio de possession three very different, Size or structure, I cannot reg f the city of Rio de J those from the hilly parts of Minas Geraes have the ard them as specifically distinct. aneiro are Wholly metallic bluish green ; head and sides of the neck of a golden lustre; while to have been procured at Para, has the crown of the head, back and abdomen reddish bronze. the throat alone bei The specimens from the neighbourhood o one sent to me by Mr. Reeves, and said i@ oreen. Mr. Reeves informs me that the Chlorostilbon prasinus remains in the neighbourhood of Rio the whole of its full plumage during the months of August and September ; he also states that the open plains, the densest forests and the sides of rivers are alike re the year, and is drest in sorted to; that the nest is suspended two or three being frequently placed within a few feet of each other, and in some instances two on the same branch, as figured in the accompanying Plate from examples sent to me by this gentleman. on reeds and ferns, and even on grasses: illi i i now » males, exé es are frequently sent Accompanying the brilliantly coloured birds which we know to be males, examples are freque 2 having the B tire under surface of a uniform greyish brown, without any metallic brilliancy, and with the : ; ir ave always regarded as females ; outer tail-feathers slightly, tipped with white; these dull-coloured birds I have always regarded as females ; c - « s ~ 2 1 \ : : but it is j ible t] hi metimes assumes, especially in old age, the brilliant plumage of the male ; ut it is just possibile that this sex sometimes ass , } . ° ther this opinio e or be not correct. this however is by no means certain, and it remains to be seen whether this opinion be o1 S, : fi vellowish green, with a golden lustre on the crown of the head a, ‘ « > “po YS ‘tace e S 2’ , a The male has the upp¢ I and undel urtac¢ 2 : : A ae anny ae Renee and the sides of the neck; wines purplish brown ; tail black, 2 oneee s | ar tip; feet reddish brown. grass-green ; bill flesh-red at the base, darker towards the tip 5 feet reé on Bie tye oc a | int purer green on the upper tail-coverts ; a i ( is bronzy green, passing into gree ' The u per surface of the female is bronzy green, ] g a: | | | > > + middle feathers wa the a urface greyish buff: tail black, glossed with steel-blue, the four mi : rs race gre Ss 5 « c a4 A ae ; i ‘| ‘reyish buff. eC r ‘ac » tipped with ereyish green, and the two outer feathers on each side | “ | i ae aoe nice NE ae di A ; : ; anying Plate represents The figure of the male in the accompanying natural size. (ti; fl ; a ¥ CHLOROSTILBON ATALA Atala’s Emerald. Ornismya atala, Less. Hist. Nat. des Troch p. 115, pl. 493 ——— prasina, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois.-Mou., p. 188 pl. 65 ? Hylocharis atala, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 115, Hylocha»; ee ee » Hylocharis, sy. 47? Saucerottia Atala, Reichenh. Auf. der Col. p73 Jocharis, sp. 47; Zz atala, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Ay,. p- 77, Sauceropin oe Trochilus mellisugus, Linn. ? Se Tue bird paced on the opposite Plate is a native of Trinidad, where it IS very common. I also possess examples from (¢ ayenne and Venezuela. | particularly mention that Trinidad the country whence the specimens I have represented were brought, because the utmost confusion reigns amone the nance the little green Humming-Birds : would that it were in ny power to unravel this conga I trust some ie Trochilidist may be more for ate than je, eee future s y be more fortunate than myself, and that he will be able to tell the world what authors; no one would be more happy than I should be to see these knotty points satisfactorily elucidated. I have placed the old Linnean name of mellisugus to this species with a mark of doubt. having been induced so to do by finding ; - : 5 really are the species intended in the plates and descriptions of the older that name written, I believe by M. Bourcier, on one of the specimens in my collection; with a mark of doubt also I have given plates 42 and 65 of Lesson’s ‘Trochilide’ and ‘Oiseaux-Mouches.’ I have mentioned the difficulty with which the subject is beset in my account of Chlorostilbon prasinus ; I need not, then, further allude to it here. M. Bourcier has described a species of this group under the name of Trochilus Daphne, which so closely resembles this bird as almost to induce a belief that it is identical with it; the 7 Daphne, however, differs in having a blue tint of colour over the elittering green of the lower part of the throat and breast ; it has also a less forked tail, and, moreover, is from a different locality—the upper parts of the Rio Negro and the eastern confines of Ecuador and Peru. Mr. Tucker informs me that in Trinidad the Chlorostilbon Atala is found in the large open places, or natural savannahs, between the woods, that it is called the Savannah Sapphire, and that it makes a loud noise with its wings when flying. n 7 cas om: aving all those parts of the under The sexes differ very considerably in their colouring, the female having al Be surface buffy grey which are green in the male. oe ae, : Se aoe , st brilliant on The male has the head. all the upper surface, and wing-coverts shining golden green, mo d littering green; wines purplish brown; upper tail-coverts the head ; throat and all the under surface glittering green ; Nae pur] ; Up] ave been black. reen 5 tal Ely or IS ack ; the bill appears to have been green; tail stee ly or bluish black ; 4 PI her mate, but not so brilliant ; a greyish mark behind The female has the upper surface of the same hue as h ate, but a , | il-feathers green ; three next on each side the eye; all the under surface buffy grey; two centre tail-feathers green ; the = oe a C > A ; s , : cn cat 1 tremities, which are slightly tipped with grey; th green at the base and bluish black towards their extremities, eel ae j , ith green at the base, and tipped with grey. feather on each side bluish black, slightly washed with gi F lif he plant is the Stanhopea ecornuta. v male. of the size of life. ‘The ple s ( Che Plate represents two males and a female, of t ae a wees” emt Cee aE PAN SN Lp ALfOT. ) \ > w 8 ® s wR S&S RS oS ee < CHLO ROSTILBON ALICIA, Alice’s Kmerald. Trochilus Alice, Boure. et Muls. Rey. Zool. 1848, Dp: 2/4 ==Craw and Mitch. Gen of Birds Wl 314 App. p. 80a, App. to p. 103 | Y _ ° Smaragdites Alice. Chlorostilbon al, Reichenb. Auf. der Col., Dai ae : : cid, Bonap. Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255. THE Chlorostilbon Alicie iS a pretty | ttle species, inhabiting the C collections sent from Bogo ta always contain examples, of the genus by its greenish-bro > araccas and the high lands of Columbia ; It is easily distinguished from every other member nzy hue and the shortness of its tail-feathers ; it is also conspicuous for the rich glittering golden green of the crown, throat, breast, and under surface of the body ; both the upper and under surfaces of the tail. too, are bronze, with an intermingling of purple. The sexes offer a more marked difference than usual, the female being entirely destitute of the glittering ace ; besides which, she has a larger tail, the three outer feathers of which are black in the centre, with grey tips. We have striking proofs that the bird so marked is the true female green feathers of the under surf = of this species ; for the young males, at a certain age, are dressed in a particoloured plumage, portions of which are seen in both sexes. | have ) ne young male in which the breast is grey, like that of the female, except that it is here and there spangled with golden green; in this example the three outer tail-feathers are tipped with grey, but the centre ones are green, and not black, as in the female; the female, too, is a somewhat larger bird, and has a longer bill than the male. é . Be stone ton a ee mae * sur x No. verts Phe male has the crown of the head and breast rich shining green; all the upper surface, ae . : : . : : ss fo ee - wines “pli rown ; Doth on upper tail-coverts, abdomen, and under tail-coverts rich bronzy green ; wings purplish brown ; tail, : : aaa : emlahiomeeniicn ts ack : rk brown. the upper and the under surface, shining dark purplish green ; bill black ; feet dark bro ie =o es sae rreyish white, speckled or spangled with rich { young male in my collection is bronzy green above, and greyish white, speckled or spang a - = : ; “lefanthareconoantelatie srs green at the base shining green, beneath ; wings purplish brown ; centre tail-feathers green ; lateral feathers green < ase, then bluish black, and tipped with white; under tail-coverts buffy grey. i ee mm : : ek a ‘face bronzy ereen. passing: into pure green on the upper tail-coverts ; he female has the upper surface bronzy g >] g he} chen LISeaa (2 ace + » > a c surface greyish white ; central tail-feathers green; the lateral feathers green at the base, : s C oO . S ll aia c c c > a Oy ¢ : : ; Oe ee from the centre. lastly tipped with grey, which increases in extent as the feathers recede ‘ aeuy Upped with grey, ize of life. The plant is the Barkeria elegans. The Plate represents two males and a female of the size of life. I an RO OLSON A Se Le = We» i at < dy ae ¥ Ui pe Lek TAS j eh Ia Ee 5 9 Wi wt 7 s i a 2 a a a CHLOROSTILBON POORTMANL Poortman’s Emerald. Ornismya Poortmani, Boure. in Rey. Zool. 1843 De Hylocharis Portmanni. Grav : ite te i i 5 y | , Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 115, Hylocharis, sp. 48.— Sclat. in Proce. of Zool. Soe.. part xxi. p. 141. jortmani, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av 7 } i ; ap. Sp. Gen. Av., p. 74, Hylocharis, go, J! Chlorestes Poortmanni, Reichenb. Auf. der Cols 0. Chlorostilbon poortmani, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255. Ir the term insignificant should ever be applied to this bird, it certainly cannot be employed when speaking of the lovely plant figured on the accompanying Plate. Now it may be asked, if the bird and the plant are ever in such close juxtaposition as I have represented them; to which I reply, that in all probability they are, though I have no actual evidence that such is the case; I know that the Humming-Birds examine in- dividually most of the plants in the regions they frequent, whether in the woods or savannahs, and the chances are, therefore, that the Victoria regia is not unvisited by this bird during its peregrinations. No one member of this little group of Humming-Birds is so diminutive as the present species, whose short tail, composed of ten narrow feathers, will at all times serve to distinguish it from its allies, the nearest of which is the Chlorostilbon Alicie. Both species inhabit the same part of America,—that is, Columbia and the country immediately to the eastward. We often receive examples from Bogota; indeed it may be said that all, or nearly all, the specimens sent to this country and to France are from thence. The ene difference occurs in the colouring of the sexes of both species; the females having the under surface grey, instead of glittering green. The young males are all intermediate in their style of colouring, but have larger tails than the female. Head golden orange; all the upper surface, wing- and tail-coverts reddish bronzy ee a ee brown; tail dark bronzy green, both on the upper and under surface; all the under surface, including the | ereen; bill black; feet dark brown. > coloured to that of the male, but far less brilliant ; the under reen; the remainder green at the base, under tail-coverts, dull bronzy The female has the upper surface similarly oe the centre tail-feathers g surface grey ; the wing's purplish brown ; i : poe a eee Ta — 7 ond tipped with greyish ; under tail-coverts greyish brown. passing into black near the extremity, an¢ tippec hh grey eas sy Scepien een ie voone male is similar to the female, but has the under surface spangled with g 2 » young male Is § é : - ‘omale of the natural size. The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural s a & Py a A cao Ps kowe! ba ‘\ ed oe ae Cae Mi . oS : So: % > Bb) iy , t mG a J e 3% a 3 ~< 4 a ATANNTTIINTUINI | wnNTtTt LO M8 SMARAGDOCHRYSIS IRIDESCENS, cGowa Iridescent Humming-Bird. ? Calliphlox ? iridescens, Gould in Proc. of-Zool. Soc., part xxviii. p. 310. Durine the progress of the present monograph I have repeatedly had the pleasure of offering my thanks to Thomas Reeves, Esq., of Rio de Janeiro, for the liberal manner in which he placed at my disposal the novelties pertaining to this group of birds which have from time to time come into his possession. This gentleman, who has resided in Rio for many years, has lost no opportunity of securing examples of every species that has been collected in that part of South America, which he has kindly forwarded to me for the furtherance of the present work. Of all these birds, none have been of greater interest to me than the one figured on the accompanying plate ; and this interest has been much enhanced by the circum- stance of the bird having been killed by Mr. Reeves himself during a visit to Novo Friburgo, a district skirting the virgin forests, about seventy miles from Rio. When he killed it, Mr. Reeves imagined it to be a curious variety of the Calliphlox amethystina ; but this is not the case, for it differs so much from that species and all others, that I am even at a loss to know to what genus it is most nearly allied. For the present I have placed it near the CAdorostilbontes, as it more nearly resembles those birds in its style of colouring than any others ; at the same time its delicate structure, diminutive wings, and deeply forked tail would lead to the conclusion that it is allied to the members of the genus Calliphlor. When additional examples have been procured and the female has become known to us, then, and then only, shall we be able to determine its proper situation. The whole of the body, including the upper and under tail-coverts, iridescent pale green and light coppery red, most brilliant on the throat ; the deeply forked tail steely dark brown, each feather tipped with a more bronzy or purplish hue, which is seen only in certain lights ; upper mandible and the tip of the lower one black, the remainder of the latter apparently reddish flesh-colour. Total length 3+ inches ; bill +; wing 1,%;; tail ly. The fi ' 1 ‘life. The plant is the Gesnerca purpurea. Lhe figures are of the size of life. Che plant is the Ges pu} : 7 Pe oO I Om MO) oF SS a Si iil is la te << ae a fo 7 Ty ry) IX tl Could anal lt BZESewyy 4h Se. ti, i ts o ah oy i » 4 L : ~.) c. ANY y a A ; . ‘ 4 of L cy “s "Lia? =} OO es "tans TS rN Fo SOO Se fe Fie = waco oi PHLOGOPHILUS HEMILEUCURUS, Gow. Pied-tailed Humming-Bird. Phlogophilus hemileucurus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xxvii. p. 310 Besipes the birds which I have described and figured in the present monograph, I have in my collection several which are either in a state of immaturity or in such a mutilated condition that I have not ventured to write or figure from such imperfect materials. I cannot, however, refrain from giving a figure of one which, although I am certain it is immature, exhibits so many distinctive characters that I have been induced to make it the type of a new genus. The only specimen I have seen has been kindly placed at my disposal by M. Bourcier, who, I believe, received it from the banks of the Napo. It differs so widely from every other known Humming-Bird that I really am unable to determine to which genus it is most nearly allied, its lengthened tarsi and singularly coloured tail rendering it quite distinct from every other member of the entire family ; most probably it will be allied to the Adelomye. I look impatiently for more specimens of this bird, and am especially desirous of seeing the adult. Crown of the head brownish green ; back of the neck, upper surface, two middle tail-feathers, and the flanks grass-green ; sides of the face and ear-coverts greenish brown ; centre of the throat, chest, middle of the abdomen, and under tail-coverts white ; tail rounded; the four lateral ae on each side mynite, with an oblique band of black or blackish. purple occupying the centre of each, this aoe of black extending along : feathers to the tip, so that the inner web only is white; not so on the next, the margin of the two oute : per mandible black ; under mandible flesh-colour ; which is terminated with a large spot or tip of white ; up feet yellow. Total length 3+ inches; bill 2; wing 255 tail 1. . ; “re, The nlant is the Paphinia cristata. The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Paphin ee A aL) | ee Me ae) 2 ) es coe 5 SL oe re ened Se =p vee Wa Osa ayseleseeae 77