CAMPYLOPTERUS OBSCURUS, Gould. 



Sombre Sabre-wing-. 



Campylopterus ohscurus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1848, p. 13.— Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 71, Campylopterus, 



sp. 2.— Reichenb. Auf. der Col., p. 11.— Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de ZooL, 1854, p. 250. 

 Polyfmus olscurus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. iii., appendix, p. 5, app. to p. 108. 



Had we not sufficient evidence to the contrary (evidence which has been admitted by many ornithologists), 

 it might be supposed that the Campylopterus obscurus and C. latipefinis were one and the same species, so 

 similar are they in size and in the colouring of their bodies. When we compare their tails, however, a 

 great difference is seen in the extent of the white on the outer feathers — a character very conspicuous in the 

 other Campylopteri, but which is nearly obsolete in this species. I possess one male in which the two outer 

 feathers are very slightly tipped with grey ; and no trace of it appears on the third. The whole tail, too, is 

 shorter and rounder than that of C. latipennis ; there is more green on the upper surface of the four middle 

 tail-feathers, and those feathers are broad, and, as well as the rest, very round at the tip. 



It will naturally be asked, "What is the native country of this species.^" but, in the present state of our 

 knowledge, that is a question not easily answered. All that I know on the subject is, that the specimens I 

 possess were received from the Amazon ; but from what part of the banks of that mighty river, I am unable 

 to say ; probably the bird is a denizen of the vast forests which cover the alluvial flats, and the islands 

 near its embouchure between the city of Para and the sea. 



The feature which distinguishes the sexes of this species is, as in C latipennnis, the broadly developed 

 shafts of the outer wing-feathers of the male. 



Crown of the head, all the upper surface, and the four middle tail-feathers green ; throat and under surface 

 dark grey ; flanks and under taiUcoverts washed with green ; the three lateral tail-feathers on each side 

 black, slightly tipped with grey ; bill black. 



The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Passifiora tmifolia. 



