FLORISUGA ATRA. 



Pied Jacobin. 



Trochilus ater, Pr. Max. Trav.^ vol. i. p. 322. 



atratus, Liclit. Verz. der Doubl.^ p. 14. 



niger^ Swains. Zool. 111. 1st Ser., vol. ii. pi. 82. 



fuscus, Vieill. Nouv. Diet, d'liist. Nat. 2nd edit. torn. vii. p. 348. — lb. Ency. Meth. 



Orn., part ii. p. 552. 

 Ornismya luguhris, Less. Hist. Nat, des Ois. Mou., p. 132. pi. 38 male, pi, 39 female. — Less, 



Traits d'Orn., p. 275. 

 Colihri leucopygius, Spix, Av. Sp. Nov. Bras., tom i. p. 81. t. Ixxxi. fig, 3. 

 Negro Humming-Bird, Lath, Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 312. 

 Mellisuga ater, Stepli, Cont, of Shaw's Gen. Zool., vol, xiv, p. 243. 

 Topaza atra, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p, 110, Topaza, sp. 4. 

 Florisuga air a, Bonap. Consp Gen. Av., p. 74. 



The true, if not the restricted, habitat of this species is the eastern portion of Brazil, over which it is 

 distributed from Pernambuco on the north to Rio Janeiro on the south, from which latter locality 

 and Bahia few collections are sent to Europe which do not contain specimens ; consequently it is one of 

 the commonest birds in our museums. The changes of plumage to which it is subject are less diversified 

 than those oi Florisuga niellimra and F. flabcllifera : when fully adult the female appears to differ from the 

 male only in her smaller size, and in the black colouring of her head and breast being less pure, or in other 

 words, slightly tinged with brown; a rufous moustache, however, commencing under the eye and running 

 down the sides of the neck and sometimes pervading the ear-coverts, is found to exist in some specimens. 

 It will be recollected that this feature is also observable in some examples of the other two species, but 

 whether it is indicative of the female sex or of immaturity I am unable to say ; a diversity is also found to 

 exist in the extent of the black tipping of the lateral tail-feathers, some being merely bordered with purplish 

 black, while others have that hue extending over somewhat more than their apical half 



The male has the whole of the upper and under surface and tail-coverts deep velvety black, glossed on 

 the tips of the feathers with a bronzy hue ; wing-coverts and rump tinged with green ; wings purplish 

 brown ; two centre tail-feathers black, with bronzy green reflexions ; lateral tail-feathers white, with a broad 

 band of purplish black at the tip ; lower part of the flanks white ; tarsi purplish black in front, white behind ; 

 bill black. 



The supposed female is similar in colouring, but is of a browner hue. 



The figures are of the natural size : the plant is a species of Oncidiiim, common in Brazil. 



