THALURANIA GLAUCOPIS. 



Brazilian Wood Nymph. 



Trochilus glaucopis, Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., torn. i. p. 497. — Pr. Max. Beitr. zur Naturg. 

 von Bras., p. 85. — ^Vieill. 2nde Edit, du Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., torn. vii. p. 370, 

 et torn, xxiii. p. 428. — lb. Ency. Meth. Orn,, part ii, p. 557. — Jard. Nat. Lib. Hum- 

 ming Birds, vol. ii. p. 86. 



Mellisuga Brasiliensis cauda hifurca, Briss. Orn., torn. iii. p. 724. pi. xxxvii. fig. 5 ? 



Ornismya glaucopis, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 175. pis. 58, 59.^ — lb. Traite d'Orn., 

 p. 273. 



Polytmus glaucopis, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 58. 



Trochilus frontalis, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 318. 



Bkie-fronted Humming Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 786. — lb. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 352. 



L" Oiseau-mouche a queue fourchue du Bresil, Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. i. p. 116. 



Thalurania glaucopis, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 77, Thalurania, sp. 5. — lb. Rev. et Mag. de 

 Zool. 1854, p. 254. — Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 7. 



Coeligena glaucopis, Beichenb. Troch. enumer., p. 3. pL dclxxxv. figs. 4509, 4510. 



This is one of the Humming Birds, the breasts and crowns of which constitute the materials so extensively 

 used for the construction of the beautiful artificial feather-flowers so frequently forwarded to this country 

 and to the Continent ; and we cannot but wonder, when we remember the wholesale destruction with which the 

 bird is visited, that it has not become very scarce, or even extirpated ; but the contrary seems to be the case, 

 for no one member of the family is more frequently to be seen in collections, many hundreds of specimens 

 being annually sent to Europe from Rio de Janeiro, which appears to be its head-quarters, as, according to 

 Mr. Reeves, it is found there during the whole of the year. It is also common in Minas-Geraes, Santa 

 Catharina, and other provinces of Brazil. It is said to be in full plumage in August and September, at 

 which season it is principally procured, and supplied to the nuns for the purpose above alluded to, 



Mr. Reeves informs me, that " the numbers annually killed for the fabrication of artificial flowers are 

 immense. Its haunts are the margins of rivers, the virgin forests, and gardens. Its nest is generally 

 attached to the drooping branch of a Creeper ; on being disturbed, it utters a note which may be described 

 by Fip-Jip'Jip-Jip, quickly pronounced." 



The females appear to escape the wholesale destruction, none of their colours being bright or attractive; 

 indeed, as will be seen on reference to the accompanying Plate, few birds are less gaily adorned. 



The nest of this species is of a lengthened form, with a cup-shaped depression at the top: the materials 

 of which it is constructed vary in accordance with those that may be at hand in the situations in which it 

 is placed, but it is generallly composed of the brown inner fibres of the Palm fruit, and beautifully decorated 

 with flat pieces of lichen of various sizes and colour. 



The male has the centre of the crown fine metallic blue ; sides and back of the head and nape dark green, 

 appearing black when viewed in front; upper surface, shoulders and wing-coverts green, becoming of a 

 brighter green on the upper tail-coverts ; wings purplish black ; tail black, with steel-blue reflexions ; the 

 whole of the under surface, including the under tail-coverts, yellowish shining green ; bill and feet blackish 



brown. 



The female has the whole of the upper surface green ; wings purplish black ; two central tail-feathers 

 and the basal portion of the lateral ones bronzy green ; the remainder of the lateral feathers black, with 

 steel-blue reflexions, and the external one tipped with grey ; under surface grey, washed with green on the 



flanks. 



The figures are the size of life. 



For the drawing of the Brazilian plant, the name of which is unknown to me, I am indebted to 



T. Reeves, Esq. 



