Genus Aglæactis Gould

Generic characters.

Male.— Bill rather short, depressed at the base, and straight; wings long and powerful; primaries, particularly the outer one, sickle-shaped; tail moderately large, and slightly forked when closed; tarsi partially clothed; feet strong and powerful; hind toe and nail longer than the middle toe and nail; breast ornamented with a tuft of lengthened plumes; back luminous when viewed from behind.

The birds for which I instituted the above genus have always greatly interested me. They are of large size, have very ample wings, and are distinguished from all other Humming-Birds by their luminous backs, of which the rich and glittering hues are only perceptible when viewed from behind, or reversely to the direction of the feathers— contrary to the law which regulates the disposition of the colouring in all the other genera, except in Celigena, where it is slightly apparent. All the species are natives of the Andes, over which they roam from the northern part of New Granada to Bolivia. The latter country is the cradle of the Aglæactis Castelnaudi and the richly coloured A. Pamela. These extraordinary birds, to which I have given the trivial name of Sunbeams, are among the most wonderful of the Trochilidæ.

• 200.

  Aglæctis cupripennis

  Habitat: New Granada

  Plate 179 Aglæctis cupripennis Shining Sun-beam

  Professor Jameson and Mr. Fraser state that “The females of this species have the glittering back, but not so brilliant as in the males.”—Ibis, vol. i. p. 400.

  • Aglaïactis cupripennis, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 69.
• 201.

  Aglæctis Æquatorialis

  Habitat: Ecuador

  No illustrations

  This bird is considered distinct from H. cupripennis by Dr. Cabanis; but the only difference I can perceive between this and Bogota specimens is in its larger size and longer wing; but if this be admitted as a species, I must further increase the list by calling another parvula, of which I have two specimens shot by M. Warszewicz in Peru or Bolivia; for the precise locality is unknown to me.

  • Aglaïactis aequatorialis, Cab, et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 70, note.
• 202.

  Aglæactis parvula (Gould)

  Habitat: Peru, or Bolivia

  No illustrations

  This bird has a much shorter bill, is of a deeper red on the under-surface, more red in the tail, and altogether of much smaller size.

  Total length 4\(\frac{1}{2}\) inches; bill \(\frac{11}{16}\); wing 3; tail 1\(\frac{3}{4}\).

• 203.

  Aglæactis caumatonota (Gould)

  Habitat: Peru, or Bolivia

  No illustrations

  Described by me as above from a single specimen said to have been procured in Peru, which differs from the preceding in being of smaller size and in the darker hue of the luminous portion of the back.

  • Aglæactis caumatonotus, Gould in Proc. Zool. Soc. part xvi. 1848, p. 12.
• 204.

  Aglæactis Castelnaudi

  Habitat: The mountains near Cusco in Peru

  Plate 180 Aglæactis Castelnaudi Castelnau’s Sunbeam

  M. Deville says, “This bird, which is very rare, confines itself to the blossoms of a species of Mimosa, the odours of which attract the small insects which form its food. Its cry is very piercing; its flight very rapid and noisy. The species, which is quite new, was killed by myself in the valley of Echaraté, near Cusco.”

  • Aglaeactis Castelnaudi, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 9.
  • Helianthea Castelnaudi, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 6, pl. 739. figs. 4694–95.
  • Aglaïactis Castelnaudi, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 69, note.
  • Ornismya castelnaudii, Dev. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1852, p. 216.
• 205.

  Aglæactis Pamela

  Habitat: Bolivia

  Plate 181 Aglæactis Pamela Pamela’s Sun-beam

  • Aglaïactis Pamelae, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 69.

Supplemental

• Aglæactis caumatonota Black-throated Sunbeam