PHAETHORNIS HISPIDUS, Gowa.

Hairy Hermit.

 

Trochilus ( ?) hispidus, Gould in Proce. of Zool. Soc., Part XIV. p. 90.
Phetornis lispidus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p- 104, Phetornis, sp. 14.
Phaétorms hispidus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Avy., p. 68, Phaétornis, sp. 14.

 

Tue present elegant and well-defined species is a native of Bolivia, whence it was brought to this
country by Mr. Bridges, who, to my regret, was unable to give me any account of its habits or economy .
the shortness of his stay in the district in which it was procured, having prevented him from devoting any
time to their investigation: they are doubtless very similar to those of the other Phaéthorni.

The grey colouring of its under surface, with a crescent of brown near the tip of each feather, renders it
conspicuously different from every other member of the genus; the largely developed hair-like buffy grey

tail-coverts also constitute a character which does not occur in any other species.

All the upper surface bronzy brown; ear-coverts dark brown, bordered above and below with a line of
buff; under surface brownish grey, with broad stripes of white down the throat ; those of the chest with a
crescentic mark of brown near the tip; tail greenish brown; the lateral feathers slightly, and the central
ones largely tipped with white ; wings brown; bill black, except the basal half of the lower mandible which
is straw-colour.

The figures in the accompanying Plate are of the natural size; and, as they are accurate representations
of nature, will give a better idea of the bird than any written description, however accurate.

The plant is the Saurauwja spectabils.