OREOTROCHILUS ADEL^. 



Adela's Hill-star. 



Trochiius Adela.B'Orh. et L^fr. Syn., No. 32. p. 33.— D'Orb. Voy. dans TAmer. Merid., 



torn. iv. p. 377. 

 Orthorhijnchus Adela, D'Orb. Voy. dans TAm^r. M6rid., Atlas, Ois., pi. 61. fig. 2. 

 Oreofrochihts Adela, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part XV. 1847, p. 10. — Gray and Mitch. 



Gen. of Birds, Oreotrochilus^ sp. 4. 



This is one of the many novelties which rewarded the researches of M. D'Orbigny, who figured it for 

 the first time in his fine work, the "Voyage dans TAmerique Meridionale," and who states that he met 

 with it in one instance only, on the dry and arid mountains in the neighbourhood of Chuquisaca in Bolivia, 

 where it flies among the rocks and perches upon the loftiest plants. It was also seen by Mr. Bridges 

 during his travels in the same country, flying at a considerable elevation, and exhibiting many of the 

 actions and manners of 0. Estellw and 0, leucopleurus. The rich chestnut colouring of the flanks and the 

 black mark down the centre of the abdomen render it conspicuously different from every other species of 

 Humming Bird at present known to us ; and it differs from the other Oreotrochili in having the tail-feathers 

 of a narrower and more lengthened form, and in the outer feather on each side being broader and less 

 incurved. 



The sexes present the usual diversity of colouring, the female being of a very sombre hue. 



The male has all the upper surface dark greyish olive-brown, passing into dull coppery green on the 

 upper tail-coverts ; wings brown, tinged with purple ; two centre tail-feathers olive-brown ; remainder of 

 the tail-feathers vinous buflf, narrowly margined with olive-brown ; throat rich lustrous green, assuming a 

 golden hue in some specimens ; centre of the breast and abdomen deep velvety black, with a slight tino-e of 

 bluish green ; sides of the chest and flanks rich deep chestnut ; under tail-cOverts olive-brown, tinged with 

 bufl^; tarsi thickly clothed with brown feathers ; bill, eyes and feet black. 



Total length, 5 inches ; bill, 1| ; wing, 2i; tail, 2^; tarsus, f. 



The female resembles the male in the colouring of the upper surface ; has the lateral tail-feathers 

 clouded instead of being regularity margined with brown ; the throat white, regularly spangled with brown 5 

 the abdomen rufous ; and the under tail-coverts and feathers clothing the tarsi pale brown. 



Total length, 4i inches ; bill, H ; wing, 2f ; tail, 2; tarsus, f. 



The figures represent the two sexes on a species of Sakm, 



