HELIOTRYPHA VIOLA, Gould. 



Viola Star-frontlet. 



Heliangelus viola, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. April 12, 1853, reported in Athenaeum 

 April 16, 1853. 



A journey lately made by M. Warszevvicz on the banks of the Maranon has been the means of making- 

 known to us the present beautiful new species of Humming- Bird; and it may not be out of place to mention 

 here, that both Trochilidists and Orchidists are very largely indebted to the exertions of this intrepid 

 traveller, who hesitates not to risk his life whenever a chance of obtaining* novelties in either of those 

 departments presents itself; and his intrepidity has hitherto been most amply rewarded, since no one has 

 had the good fortune to add so largely to our stores of these interesting and lovely objects as M. Warsze- 

 wicz ; his collections of the Trochilidse, which have all been transmitted to myself, have afforded me many 

 opportunities of mentioning his exertions in terms of commendation, and I feel confident that George Ure 

 Skinner, Esq., to whom his Orchids have been consigned, can speak quite as highly of his acquisitions in 

 that department. 



Whether we regard the elegance of the form of H. viola or the chasteness of its colouring, we know not 

 which to admire most ; and as in these respects it differs from all other Trochili, with the exception of 

 H. Parzudakiy to which it is nearly allied, I have deemed it advisable to propose a new generic title — 

 Heliotrypha — for this bird ; the form of which is directly intermediate between Heliangelus and Helianthea. 



Forehead brilliant metallic green ; all the upper surface, flanks, and abdomen, rich dark green ; wings 

 purplish brown ; four middle tail-feathers green, the remainder purplish black, all but the two outer ones 

 on each side washed with green at the tip ; throat rich deep violet, bounded on the sides and below by a 

 line of deep velvety black ; under tail-coverts buff, with a dark mark in the centre of each ; bill and feet 

 blackish brown. 



The female is similar to, but less brilliant than the male, and moreover differs in having the throat dull 

 black, speckled with greyish white, and the under tail-coverts buff, with green centres. 



The figures represent two males and a female of the size of life. The plant is the Datura cornigera. 



