PETASOPHORA CORUSCANS, Gould. 



Chequered Violet-Ear. 



Trochilus (Petasophora) coruscans, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part xiv. pp. 44, 90. 

 Petasophora corascans, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part xv. p. 9. 

 Polytmus coruscans, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 29. 

 Colibri coruscans, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 69, Colibri, sp. 5. 



Of this beautiful bird a single example only is contained in my collection ; I obtained it of Mr. Leadbeater, 

 who, I regret to say, could give me no information whatever respecting it. In the rich golden brown 

 colouring of the tessellated feathers, and in the deep buff colour of the under tail-coverts, it offers an 

 alliance to P. Delphince ; but it has much more blue on the breast than any other known species, and this 

 colour moreover extends much higher, confining the tessellated feathers to the throat, as seen in P. serri- 

 rostris. It must rank as one of the finest members of this well-defined genus. 



Crown of the head, all the upper surface and flanks green ; band commencing on the centre of the chin 

 and extending under the eye and the ear-coverts purplish blue ; wings purplish brown ; tail greenish blue, 

 crossed near the tip with a broad chalybeate band, and with the central feathers much dilated ; tessellated 

 feathers of the throat shining green, with bronze and dull green reflexions; breast and centre of the 

 abdomen blue ; under tail-coverts dull green, broadly tipped with buff; bill black ; feet brown. 



The figures represent this fine bird of the natural size, in two positions. 



