Or this beautiful bird a single example only is contained in my collection; I obtained it of Mr. Leadbeater, who, I regret to say, could give me no information whatever respecting it.
In the rich golden brown colouring of the tessellated feathers, and in the deep buff colour of the under tail-coverts, it offers an alliance to P. Delphinæ; but it has much more blue on the breast than any other known species, and this colour moreover extends much higher, confining the tessellated feathers to the throat, as seen in P. serrirostris. It must rank as one of the finest members of this well-defined genus.
Crown of the head, all the upper surface and flanks green; band commencing on the centre of the chin and extending under the eye and the ear-coverts purplish blue; wings purplish brown; tail greenish blue, crossed near the tip with a broad chalybeate band, and with the central feathers much dilated; tessellated feathers of the throat shining green, with bronze and dull green reflexions; breast and centre of the abdomen blue; under tail-coverts dull green, broadly tipped with buff; bill black; feet brown.
The figures represent this fine bird of the natural size, in two positions.
Featuring all 422 illustrated species from John Gould’s A Monograph of the Trochilidæ, or Family of Humming-Birds arranged by color.
Humming-Birds
