This genus comprises, as far as at present ascertained, six well-determined species, three of which are very nearly allied. It will be seen, on reference to my account of G. hirsuta, that when it was written I was much perplexed with regard to its synonymy, or, rather, as to whether the small red-coloured bird, G. Mazeppa, was or was not identical with it; and although some years have since elapsed, I have not even now been able to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the difficulty. Under these circumstances, I think it will be best to regard the G. Mazeppa as distinct; and this view of the subject is supported by the fact that I do not find small red-coloured birds accompanying the allied species, G. affinis, Lawr., which is a native of Bogota. I think it likely that all these birds, when fully adult, have the tail shorter and more rounded than during the period of immaturity or at the end of the first year of their existence. The youthful state, then, is indicated by a more cuneate form of tail, all the feathers of which are pointed and tipped with white; and as the birds advance in age, at each moult the tail-feathers become more rounded and the white tipping less, until at length it is reduced to a mere fringe, existing in some instances on the middle feathers alone.
The distribution of the species of the genus Glaucis extends over the whole of the eastern parts of Brazil, the Guianas, Trinidad, Tobago, Venezuela, the banks of the Amazon, New Granada, and Veragua.
Glaucis hirsuta
Habitat: Eastern Brazil, Venezuela, and the Island of Trinidad
Plate 5
Glaucis hirsutus
Hairy Hermit
Glaucis Mazeppa
Habitat: Cayenne, the Gunes and ihe fetanias of Trinidad and Tease
Plate 6
Glaucis Mazeppa
Mazeppa Hermit
Glaucis affinis (Lawr.)
Habitat: The high lands of New Granada. Specimens are frequently sent from Bogota.
Plate 7
Glaucis affinis
Allied Hermit
Glaucis melanura (Gould)
Habitat: The banks of the Rio Napo and the Rio Not
Plate 9
Glaucis melanura
Black-tailed Hermit
Glaucis Dohrni
Habitat: Southern Brazil
Plate 10
Glaucis Dohrni
Dohrn’s Hermit
M. Bourcier has given Ecuador as the locality where his specimen was procured; but my bird was received direct from the district of Espiritu Santo in Brazil.
Glaucis Ruckeri
Habitat: Veragua
Plate 11
Glaucis Ruckeri
Rucker’s Hermit
Glaucis Fraseri (Gould)
Habitat: Ecuador
Plate 12
Glaucis Fraseri
Fraser’s Hermit
Mr. Fraser collected at Babahoyo, in Ecuador, specimens of a bird which both Dr. Sclater and myself considered to be identical with the Glaucis Ruckeri, but which, on a more minute comparison with specimens from Veragua, I find to be sufficiently different to entitle it to be regarded as distinct; I have therefore named it after its discoverer, as a just tribute to one who has played a good part in the furtherance of science. The G. Fraseri differs from G. Ruckeri in being rather larger in size, in having a smaller amount of rusty red on the chest, and in having a decidedly grey breast; in other respects the two birds are similar.
The following is Mr. Fraser’s note respecting this species:—
Found on the edge of the virgin forest; always solitary; generally in dark and lonely places, and very restless. Irides hazel; upper mandible black, lower yellow with a black tip; legs and feet flesh-colour.
Allied to the last form are the members of the genus Threnetes: these birds are not distinguished by any brilliancy of colouring, but two of them are very prettily marked about the throat and chest.
Surinam and the adjacent countries are given as the habitat of T. leucwrus, while the banks of the Rio Napo are known to be the home of the bird I have called cervinicauda; and the sombre-plumaged T. Antonie is a native of Cayenne and the Guianas. I believe that the females of all three species are clothed like the males.
Featuring all 422 illustrated species from John Gould’s A Monograph of the Trochilidæ, or Family of Humming-Birds arranged by color.
Humming-Birds
