The members of the genus Chlorolampis, as restricted by me, are distinguished for their deeply forked tails, most of the feathers of which are singularly tipped with dull grey. They range over a great part of Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Veragua, and Panama, where they apparently terminate, as I have never received examples from any part southward of the isthmus. The finest species of the genus is the C. auriceps, a bird of very elegant form, and having a deeply forked tail; most nearly allied to this is the C. Caniveti: both these birds are from Mexico. Following these is the little bird I have named C. Osberti, after Mr. Osbert Salvin; a fourth, from Costa Rica, has been described by Dr. Cabanis as C. Salvini, after the same gentleman. Very considerable difference occurs in the sexes, but more in colour than in form; for the females have the tail forked like that of the males, but to a much less extent.
Chlorolampis auriceps
Habitat: Mexico: locality unknown
Plate 350
Chlorostilbon auriceps
Long-tailed Emerald
Chlorolampis Caniveti
Habitat: Southern Mexico and Guatemala?
Plate 351
Chlorostilbon Caniveti
Canivet’s Emerald
Chlorolampis Osberti (Gould)
Habitat: The neighbourhood of Dueñas in Guatemala
Plate 352
Chlorostilbon Osberti
Osbert’s Emerald
Chlorolampis Salvini (Cab.)
Habitat: Costa Rica, according to Dr. Cabanis
No illustrations
The C. Salvini is nearly allied to C. Osberti and to C. Caniveti, but I believe it to be distinct from both. The freshly moulted adult males have their four central tail-feathers tipped with bronzy green; but this colour appears to fade upon exposure to light, leaving the tail nearly black. I believe this bird is also found at Panama.
Featuring all 422 illustrated species from John Gould’s A Monograph of the Trochilidæ, or Family of Humming-Birds arranged by color.
Humming-Birds