Under this generic appellation, for a form of which I always intended the C. prasinus to be the type, I have figured the whole of the little green Humming-Birds; but I now see the necessity of subdividing them; I shall therefore restrict the term to the following species—angustipennis, Haeberlini, Phaëthon, aureiventris, prasinus, Atala, brevicaudatus, Napensis, Peruanus, Daphne, and chrysogaster, and adopt Dr. Cabanis’s genus Panychlora for Aliciæ, euchloris, Poortmanni, and stenura.
Chlorostilbon angustipennis
Habitat: Panama and New Granada
Plate 353
Chlorostilbon angustipennis
Columbian Emerald
Chlorostilbon Haeberlini
Habitat: Carthagena
No illustrations
I have had the original of C. Haeberlini sent to me from Berlin, and I find it to be a very elegantly formed bird, nearly allied to, but quite distinct from, C. angustipennis. It differs in having the glittering green of the under surface washed with blue, a shorter wing, and a still more deeply forked tail, the feathers of which are steely-green, and not so dark as in that species. It is said to be from Carthagena.
Chlorostilbon Phaëthon
Habitat: Bolivia, Southern Brazil, and La Plata
Plate 354
Chlorostilbon Phaëthon
Glittering Emerald
Since writing my account of this species, in which I expressed my belief that the Ornismyia aureiventris of D’Orbigny and Lafresnaye was identical with it, I have carefully re-examined my specimens from the above-named countries, together with an example collected by Mr. Bridges, and I am now inclined to believe the O. aureiventris to be distinct; but as it merely differs in being of smaller size in all its admeasurements, it will not be necessary for me to figure it.
Chlorostilbon aureiventris
Habitat: Bolivia and Peru
No illustrations
Chlorostilbon prasinus
Plate 355
Chlorostilbon prasinus
Brazilian Emerald
In my account of this species I stated that, owing to its being impossible to determine to what bird Lesson had given the name of prasinus, I should apply it to the one generally known by that term among collectors—the bird so common in the neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Geraes, &c. From Dr. Cabanis we learn that it has been named Trochilus nitidissimus by Lichtenstein in the Museum of Berlin, and Trochilus lamprus, Natt. in the Museum of Munich; but had either of these names been published to the world before Dr. Cabanis included it in his ‘Museum Heineanum’ under the name of Chlorostilbon nitidissimus? If not, and prasinus be rejected, that term must certainly give place to M. Bourcier’s previously published one of Pucherani, which I find, from the type specimen now before me, was given to a young male of this species. Refer to my account of this species, and of C. Atala.
Chlorostilbon igneus (Gould)
Habitat: Supposed to be the neighbourhood of Para
No illustrations
Crown of the head glittering orange; back of the neck and upper surface fiery orange, becoming more intense on the wing-coverts; throat and chest glittering bluish green, gradually passing into the fiery orange of the flanks and abdomen; under tail-coverts green, tinged with orange; wings purplish brown; tail purplish black; bill fleshy red at the base; gradually passing into the black of the tip.
This bird is about the same size as C. prasinus, but differs from that species in the fiery colouring above described, and in the tail being purplish- instead of steel-black.
This is the bird mentioned, in my account of C. prasinus, as having been sent to me by Mr. Reeves, of Rio de Janeiro. It is one of the most beautiful species of the family.
Chlorostilbon Atala
Habitat: The Island of Trinidad, and Venezuela
Plate 356
Chlorostilbon Atala
Atala’s Emerald
I find that Venezuelan specimens differ a little from those of Trinidad, the green of the upper and under surface being more golden; still I have no doubt of their being identical.
Chlorostilbon Daphne
Habitat: Peru
No illustrations
I consider this to be a distinct species: it is very nearly allied to the Cayenne bird C. Atala of this work; but it has a more square tail, with the green of the chest strongly tinged with blue. I have M. Bourcier’s type, which is labelled ‘Voyage de Castelnau, Pampas del Sacramento.’
Chlorostilbon Peruanus (Gould)
Habitat: Peru
No illustrations
Bill black; crown, throat, and all the under surface glittering orange-green; upper surface bronzy green; wings brown; tail purplish black.
Total length 3\(\frac{1}{4}\) inches; bill \(\frac{3}{4}\); wing 1\(\frac{7}{8}\); tail 1\(\frac{1}{8}\).
This, one of the black-billed species, has even a more rounded tail than C. Daphne, from which it differs in its larger size and in having a longer bill, and especially in the glittering orange-green colouring of its breast, which in C. Daphne is blue. The C. chrysogaster has a somewhat forked steely-black tail; in other respects the two birds are very similar.
Chlorostilgon Napensis (Gould)
Habitat: The banks of the River Napo
No illustrations
This species is very similar to, but smaller than C. Daphne, has a still shorter tail, and the blue of the breast not so extended, or confined to the throat.
Chlorostilbon brevicaudatus (Gould)
Habitat: Cayenne
No illustrations
This bird is very similar to the C. Atala of Trinidad, has the same glittering green-coloured breast, but has a short and more truncate-formed tail, more so than C. Daphne or C. Napensis.
Chlorostilbon chrysogaster
Habitat: New Granada and Ecuador
No illustrations
In my description of C. angustipennis I stated that I considered the Trochilus chrysogaster of M. Bourcier to be identical with that species; but I have since more closely investigated the matter, and I now believe that this opinion was an erroneous one. I also believe that the C. chrysogaster and my C. melanorhynchus are one and the same bird; for I find little or no difference in the specimens from Panama, New Granada, and Ecuador. I further think it likely that the C. smaragdina of MM. Cabanis and Heine’s ‘Museum Heineanum’ is also referable to it.
Chlorostilbon assimilis (Lawr.)
Habitat: Panama
No illustrations
The following is Mr. Lawrence’s description of his C. assimilis, and.his remarks on the species:—
The entire upper plumage is of bronze or dull golden-green; tail dark steel-blue; wings brownish purple; under plumage brilliant green, golden on the abdomen, and on the throat of a bluish green; under tail-coverts grass-green; a small white spot on the pleura; tibial feathers brown; bill and feet black.
Length 3 inches, wing 1\(\frac{13}{16}\), tail 1\(\frac{1}{16}\), bill \(\frac{9}{16}\).
This species is somewhat like C. melanorhynchus, Gould [chrysogaster], but is smaller, and the crown is uniform in colour with the back, not brilliant. The latter species is also more golden on the abdomen, and has the tail less forked, with the feathers narrower.
Chlorostilbon nitens (Lawr.)
Habitat: Venezuela
No illustrations
Front and crown golden yellowish-green, very brilliant; back and wing-coverts shining bronzed green, lower part of back and upper tail-coverts shining grass-green; under plumage brilliant green, of a bluish shade on the throat, and golden on the abdomen; tail steel-blue and forked; wings brownish-purple; tarsi clothed with blackish feathers; under tail-coverts bright grass-green; upper mandible black, the under yellowish for two-thirds its length, with the end black; feet black.
Length 3 inches, wing 1\(\frac{3}{4}\), tail 1\(\frac{1}{8}\), bill \(\frac{9}{16}\).
Allied to C. chrysogaster, but is smaller, and has a very brilliant crown.
Featuring all 422 illustrated species from John Gould’s A Monograph of the Trochilidæ, or Family of Humming-Birds arranged by color.
Humming-Birds
