Eulampis chlorolæmus

Some Trochilidists might be inclined to doubt the specific value of this Caribbean Humming-bird, and to regard it as a mere variety of the Eulampis holosericeus, but had they as many specimens as I have to examine and form an opinion from, I believe they would come to the same conclusion as myself, and consider it to be distinct.

The principal difference between the E. chlorolæmus and E. holosericeus consists in the former “having a deeper and less luminous green throat, and the blue patch on the breast dilated into a band of blue extending across the chest; the former is also a larger and stouter bird than the latter. These differences are much more apparent in the mounted specimens in my collection, where at least six of each kind are placed side by side in one of the cases.

Like the E. holosericeus, the present: bird is an inhabitant of the Caribbean Islands, but of which, and how many of them, no certain information has been received, further than that a specimen, now in the British Museum, was collected in the island of Nevis, by T. J. Cottle, Esq., who informs me that it inhabits the low grounds of the island, and that it builds a round compact nest, and lays the usual two white eggs.

I have not failed to remark, while mounting my specimens of the genus, that their skins are particularly thick and strong, even approaching the toughness and substance of leather in the E. jugularis.

Head, all the upper surface and wing-coverts reddish-green; wings purplish-brown; upper and under tail-coverts largely developed and of a glittering blue, some of the feathers changing to green; tail black, with steel-blue reflexions; chin, throat and chest grass-green; across the breast a broad band of blue; flanks and abdomen velvety-black; bill black; feet blackish-brown.

The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Stemonacanthus macrophyllus.

References

More hummingbirds in the genus Eulampis

• Eulampis jugularis Purple-breasted Carib
• Eulampis holosericeus Green-breasted Carib