PHAETHORNIS AMAURA.

Amaura Hermit.

Pygmorms Amaura, Boure. in Rev. Zool. 1856,-p. 552.
Phethorms atrimentahs, Lawr. in Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, vol. vi. p- 260.

 

My collection contains several examples of this species, all of which were obtained from the upper part of
the Rio Negro. On submitting them to the inspection of M. Bourcier, that gentleman immediately recog-
nized them as being the same as his Pygmornis Amaura, More recently Mr. Lawrence of New York has
favoured me with the loan of the type specimen of his Phaéthornis atrimentalis, the sight of which enables
me to state that it is precisely identical with my own specimens, consequently the name of atrimentalis must
give place to that of maura. In its affinities, this species is more closely allied to the bird I have figured
under the name of P. Longuemareus than to any other; from this, however, it differs in its smaller size, and
in the black at the throat being streaked and clouded instead of forming a distinct spot. The two birds
are evidently representatives of each other in the respective districts they inhabit ; the older-known species
frequenting the east, while the newly-discovered one is equally confined to the west.

Crown of the head, all the upper surface, wing and tail-coverts dark bronzy green, the tail-coverts mar-
gined with deep rufous; wings purplish brown ; tail-feathers bronzy green, passing into brownish green
towards the end, and tipped with buffy white; ear-coverts black, bounded above and below with a line of
buffy white; chin clouded or streaked with black ; under surface rufous, washed with grey on the breast,
and becoming much paler on the under tail-coverts ; upper mandible and apical half of the lower mandible
black, the basal half of the latter being yellow ; irides black ; feet yellowish white.

The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Leucothoe pulchra.