BOURCIERIA TORQUATA. 



Collared Inca. 



Ornismia torquata, Boiss. Rev. Zool. 1840, p. 6. 



Mellisuga torquata, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 112, Mellisuga, sp. 12 

 Bourcieria torquatus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 73, Bourcieria, sp. 2. 

 torquata, Bonap. Consp. Troch. in Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 251. 



The present is one of the best-known species of the well-defined Andean genus of Humming Birds, to which 

 the Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte has given the appellation of Bourcieria, in order to assist in perpetu- 

 ating the name of a gentleman familiar to every naturalist, as the possessor of one of the finest collections 

 of the Trochilidce in Europe, and who, by his personal researches in South America, has added largely to 

 our knowledge of this charming group. 



Speaking in a wide sense, the high lands of the great country of Columbia is the native habitat of this fine 

 species. Most of the collections from Bogota and Popayan contain examples. Mr. Mark tells me that it 

 frequents the Paramos or upland grassy districts, and that it extracts its food from the blossoms of the 

 shrubby plants common to such localities, the wild Guava being always resorted to when in flower. 



Judging from the large size of its wings and its general contour, we may conclude that, like its allies, its 

 powers of flight are very great. 



It will be seen that the colours of the male are very decided, the white breast of the fully adult birds 

 offering a striking contrast to the jet-black of the surrounding plumage. The female is much smaller than 

 the male, and although dressed in a somewhat similar style of plumage, the markings are never so well 

 defined, the blue crown is absent, the white gorget is less pure, and the surrounding plumage obscure green 

 instead of black. 



The male has the forehead, back of the neck, mantle, ear-coverts, and sides of the face, black with 

 green reflexions ; on the centre of the crown a nearly triangular mark of blue ; shoulders, spurious 

 wing, the three innermost secondaries, back and upper tail-coverts deep grass-green ; chin and throat black, 

 each feather tipped with greenish blue; on the breast a broad gorget of pure white; abdomen black, with 

 reflexions of green on the tips of the feathers ; thighs black ; tarsi white ; toes yellowish rose-colour ; wings 

 purplish brown ; two centre tail-feathers dark olive-green, the remainder pure white tipped with dark olive- 

 green, and extending down the external margin of the outer feather for three-fourths of its length ; bill 

 black. 



The female has the head and upper surface bronzy grass-green ; no blue on the crown ; wings and tail as 

 in the male ; the throat white speckled with green, and the white gorget dull and clouded. 



The figures are of the natural size; the plant is a species of Brugmansia, common in the country fre- 

 quented by the birds. 



