PHAETHORNIS ADOLPHI. 



Adolph's Hermit. 



Phaethornis Adolphi^ Bourc. 



Pygmornis Adolphi, Parzudaki's List of the Trochilidae. 



The fact of Central America having a fauna peculiarly Its own has been frequently mentioned in the pages 

 of the present work ; and so decidedly is this the case, that while it comprises certain species and even 

 genera which do not exist elsewhere, the species there found are generally representatives of others 

 inhabiting South America proper, or that portion of the continent to the southward of Panama. Numerous, 

 however, as are the little Phaethornes inhabiting the latter country, only one has, so far as is yet known, 

 been found in the former — namely the P. Adolphu M. Salle, while residing at Cordova, during his recent 

 visit to Mexico, collected numerous specimens of this bird, and appears to have subjected them to a careful 

 examination of their internal parts, in order to ascertain the sexes with certainty ; and, if reliance can be 

 placed upon his investigations, it would seem that all those with short and rounded tails are males, while 

 the females have the two central feathers more prolonged, and the lateral ones with a dark zone between 

 their bronzy bases and buff tips. Supposing this information to be correct, a highly interesting fact has 

 been ascertained, and one which will form a key as it were to the sexual markings of other allied species, 

 some of which present similar characters ; and it becomes necessary, now, to ascertain if the larger 

 members of the genus Phaethornis and those of Glaucis are subjected to the same law. 



Besides specimens from Cordova, I have received many others from a very different locality, Guatemala, 

 whence at least ten individuals were transmitted to me by George Ure Skinner, Esq. ; these, however, had 

 not been subjected to dissection. A locahty still farther south may, if I mistake not, be assigned to this 

 bird, Mr. Lawrence of New York having a specimen, collected in Veragua, which I believe to be identical 

 with the present species, and which was procured by Dr. Merritt, the discoverer of the interesting 

 albocoronata \ the whole of Central America, therefore, from the Isthmus of Panama to Mexico, may be said 

 to be inhabited by this bird. The species to which it is most nearly allied is the Phaethornis griseogularis, 

 from which it differs in its larger size, the still darker and more smoky colouring of the under surface, and 

 the uniform deep olive-green colouring of the tail, the lateral feathers of which are not so largely tipped 

 with buff. 



Head, upper surface and wing-coverts dark bronzy-brown; tail-coverts rufous; tall dark bronzy-green 

 tipped with buff, fading into white at the extremity ; wings purplish-brown ; ear-coverts dark brown ; under 

 surface buff, with a wash of grey on the throat and breast ; upper mandible and apical half of the lower 

 mandible black ; basal half of the latter bright yellow ; legs and feet brownish-yellow. 



The Plate represents the birds of the natural size. 



