Thaumatias Linnæi

We have here a species that has been common in our collections from the earliest period at which the productions of South America became known to us; but it is quite impossible to say under what name it is designated by the older writers; this difficulty has arisen from the absence of illustrations in their works, and from their careless and curt descriptions applying equally well to several species.

M. Bourcier, of Paris, whose opinions respecting the great group of Humming Birds are not to be questioned, has kindly favoured me with the above list of synonyms, as probably referring to this species, and they are given entirely on his authority.

The term viridissima, assigned to this species by M. Lesson, having been employed many years before by Gmelin for another member of the family, and the other synonyms given above being, in my opinion, very questionable, I agree with M. Bourcier and Prince Charles L. Bonaparte, that it will be advantageous to give the present bird another appellation, and I have therefore adopted that of Linnæi, proposed for it by the Prince, in honour of the great Swedish naturalist.

The native habitat of this species is Northern Brazil, Guiana, and the neighbouring countries; it is also said to visit Tobago; but whether it is to be found in that or any other of the West Indian Islands, is unknown to me. My specimens are from Para, the Delta of the Amazon, and Guiana, and I believe I may also say, from Santa Fé de Bogota; for I possess examples from that locality which so closely accord with the others, that I have no doubt of their identity, the only differences being a trifling increase in the length of the bill and a slight tipping of white to the tail-feathers.

The sexes, like those of T. albiventris, very closely assimilate in colour; but the female is somewhat smaller than her mate.

Head, all the upper surface, upper and under wing-coverts, and tail-coverts bronzy green; wings purplish brown; central tail-feathers bronzy green; the remainder black, with paler tips; throat and breast glittering grass-green, fading into duller green on the flanks; a narrow stripe down the abdomen, and the under tailcoverts white.

The figures are the size of life. The plant is copied from a drawing sent to me by Mr. Reeves.

References

More hummingbirds in the genus Thaumatias

• Thaumatias candidus White-breasted Emerald
• Thaumatias chionopectus Snowy-throated Emerald
• Thaumatias leucogaster White-throated Emerald
• Thaumatias viridiceps Green-headed Emerald
• Thaumatias Milleri Miller’s Emerald
• Thaumatias nitidifrons Brilliant-fronted Emerald
• Thaumatias brevirostris Short-billed Emerald
• Thaumatias affinis Allied Emerald
• Thaumatias chionurus White-tailed Emerald
• Thaumatias albiventris White-bellied Emerald