Amazilia cyanura

All 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 A. Dumerili, to which species it is very nearly allied, but from which it differs in the blue colouring 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 steelblue, the under coverts fringed with grey; thighs white.

Total length 3\(\frac{1}{2}\) inches; bill \(\frac{7}{8}\); wing 2\(\frac{1}{8}\); tail 1\(\frac{1}{4}\).

In the accompanying Plate the bird is figured of the size of life. The plant is the Arbutus mollis.

More hummingbirds in the genus Pyrrhophæna

• Amazilia corallirostris Coral-billed Amazili
• Amazilia Yucatanensis Yucatan Amazili
• Amazilia cerviniventris Fawn-breasted Amazili
• Amazilia castaneiventris Chestnut-bellied Amazili
• Amazilia Riefferia Rieffer’s Amazili
• Amazilia beryllina Berylline Amazili
• Amazilia Devillei Deville’s Amazili
• Amazilia viridigaster Green-bellied Amazili