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.

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