Phaëthornis Philippi

I am indebted for many favours to M. Bourcier, the great Trochilidist of France, who has paid more attention to the Humming Birds than any other person on the Continent.

In his Collection there are some unique species, and this, which is one of them, has been kindly transmitted to me by that gentleman for the purpose of being figured in the present work. It is a well-marked and very distinct species, differing from all the other members of the genus Phaëthornis in its rather long and almost straight bill; in the four lateral tail-feathers on each side being very conspicuously tipped with chestnut-red, and offering a great contrast to the tips of the two central feathers, which are terminated with white. In the rufous colouring of its upper and under tail-coverts it also differs from most of its congeners. I am unable to say in what part of South America this bird was procured, and I believe that M. Bourcier is equally unaware of its proper habitat. Dr. Reichenbach states that it is from Bolivia, on what authority I know not. Here then we have further evidence that our knowledge of the Trochilidæ is still very incomplete, the single example of this species here represented being, so far as I am aware, the only one yet sent to Europe. M. Bourcier has named it after Dr. De Filippi, Professor of Zoology in the University of Milan.

Head, upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy green, slightly tinged with brown; upper tail-coverts bronzy brown, largely tipped with rufous; four lateral tail-feathers largely tipped with rufous, below this a zone of brownish black, their basal portions bronzy green; the two middle feathers are brownish black for about two-thirds of their length from their base, the apical third being white; wings purplish brown; all the under surface, from the chin to the vent, and the under tail-coverts rich reddish buff; upper mandible brownish black; under mandible, except the extreme tip, straw- or perhaps flesh-colour; feet light brown.

The figures are of the natural size.

References

More hummingbirds in the genus Phaëthornis

• Phœthornis Eurynome Eurynome Hermit
• Phaëthornis superciliosus Cayenne Hermit
• Phaëthornis fraterculus Allied Hermit
• Phaëthornis cephalus Mexican Hermit
• Phaëthornis syrmatophorus Train-bearing Hermit
• Phaëthornis hispidus Hairy Hermit
• Phaëthornis Oseryi D’Orsery’s Hermit
• Phaëthornis anthophilus Pallid Hermit
• Phaëthornis Bourcieri Bourcier’s Hermit
• Phaëthornis Guy Guy’s Hermit
• Phaëthornis Yarugui Yaruquian Hermit
• Phaëthornis Pretrei Pretre’s Hermit
• Phaëthornis Augusti Sallé’s Hermit
• Phaëthornis intermedius Middle-sized Hermit