LAMPORNIS VIRIDIS. 



Blue-tailed Mang-o. 



Le Colihrivert, TrocMlus viridis, Aud. et Vieill, Ois. Dor., torn. i. p. 34. pi. 15. 



Trochilus viridis, Vieill. 2nde edit, du Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., torn. vii. p. 357. — Bonn, et 



Vieill. Ency. Meth., Orn., part ii. p. 551. — Dumont, Diet, Sei. Nat., torn. x. p. 49. 



— Drapier, Diet. Class. d'Hist. Nat., torn. iv. p. 321. — Sonn. (Euvres de Buif., 



Ois., torn. xvii. p. 315. 

 Le Colihri cyanure, Trochilus viridis, Less. Hist. Nat. des CoL, p. 50. pi. 11. — lb. Ind. Gen. et 



Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Trocli., p. 10. 

 Le Plastro7i hlanc, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. Dor., torn. i. p. 35. pi. 16, female? 



It would seem that some confusion exists respecting the synonymy of this species, for a male specimen has 

 been sent to me by M. Bourcier with the name of '' Lamporms cymiurus, Audebert et Vieillot" attached 

 to it, but I do not find that those authors have figured or described any species of this group under that 

 appellation ; on the other hand, it is unquestionably the bird described and figured by them and by Lesson 

 under the name of Trochilus viridis. The latter author uses the term cyanure as its trivial French name, 

 which may, perhaps, have induced M. Bourcier to label his specimen ^' cyanurus'' 



In his account of the species, M. Lesson states that the only individual he had seen was in the Museum 

 of Natural History at Paris, where it had been deposited by Mauge, who had procured it in Porto Rico, one 

 of the Antilles. 



The Lampornis viridis is in every respect a typical example of the genus ; the characters of the form 

 being, if possible, more conspicuous in the female than in the male. 



The specimen of the female from which my figure of that sex was taken was kindly presented to me by 

 Alfred Newton, Esq., of Elveden Hall, Norfolk, a gentleman devoted to the study of natural history 

 generally, but more particularly of ornithology. 



The habitat of this species is certainly confined to one or two of the West Indian Islands; Mauge pro- 

 cured it in Porto Rico, and I have reason to beheve that it is also found in St. Thomas. Its habits are 

 doubtless very similar to those of the other members of the genus ; but I regret to say that on this point 

 nothing has been recorded. 



The male has the head, all the upper surface of the body, and the wing-coverts of a bronzy green, 

 becoming of a purer green on the upper tail-coverts; under surface shining grass-green, becoming paler on 

 the under tail-coverts ; wings purplish brown ; tail deep blue with green reflexions and narrowly edged at 

 the tip with white ; bill black ; feet blackish brown. 



The female has the head, all the upper surface, and wing-coverts bronzy green ; wings purplish brown ; 

 all the under surface brownish grey, tinged with green on the sides of the breast and flanks, and passing 

 into white on the under tail-coverts; two centre tail-feathers bronze, deepening into black at the tip; the 

 remainder steel-blue largely tipped with white ; those next the central ones glossed with bronze on their 

 outer webs, the remainder with white shafts and bases of greyish purple. 



The figures in the Plate are a trifle less than the size of life. The plant is the Pitcairnia imdulatifolia^ 



