Great Jacobin
The Island of Tobago, and perhaps elsewhere
The chief difference between this species and the Florisuga mellivora consists in its far greater size and in the browner colouring of the tips of the tail-feathers: the extent of its range is at present unknown, but we have positive evidence that it is by no means uncommon in the island of Tobago; numerous specimens having been sent from thence by Mr. Kirk to Sir William Jardine, Bart., to whom I am indebted for the specimens illustrated in the present work; I have also examples from the Orinoco, and others from different localities in South America which are at present unknown to me.
The only information I have acquired respecting its habits is contained in the following brief note communicated to Sir William Jardine, Bart., by Mr. Kirk:—“It is said to be found chiefly in low marshy situations among the plantain bushes, in company with the Sabre-wing (Campylopterus ensipennis); and to feed constantly on the wing.”
Head, neck and chest rich deep shining blue; back, rump, upper tail-coverts and flanks shining green; a broad crescent-shaped mark at the nape of the neck, abdomen, under tail-coverts and tail, pure white, the feathers of the latter bordered at the extremity with purplish brown; wings purplish brown; bill black.
Some examples have a stripe of reddish buff running down the sides of the face, but do not otherwise differ in colouring.
The female has the upper surface coppery bronze; a trace of the white mark on the nape; wings purplish brown; tail bronzy green passing into black near the extremity, with the three outer feathers tipped with white, the white tipping being greatest on the outer feather and successively less on the two inner ones; throat mottled brown; tail-coverts greenish grey, with a crescent of black near the extremity, and tipped with white.
This species appears to be subject to the same variations of plumage as the Florisuga mellivora; so much so indeed, that a description of the different styles of plumage of the one would be nearly as descriptive of those of the other.
The Plate represents two males and a female on one of the plants called Bois immortel by the settlers.
Featuring all 422 illustrated species from John Gould’s A Monograph of the Trochilidæ, or Family of Humming-Birds arranged by color.
Humming-Birds
