THAUMATIAS LINN^EI, Bonap. 



Linnaeus' Emerald. 



Thaumantias limitei, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255. 



Trochilus Tobaci, Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., torn. i. p. 498? 



Tobago Humming Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 781 ? 



Trochilus Tobagensis, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 316? 



Tobago Humming Bird, var. A., Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 336 ? 



& Oiseau-mouche de Tobago, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., torn. i. p. 114? 



U Oiseau-mouche a poitrine verte [Trochilus maculatus), Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., torn. i. p. 87 



pi. 44 ? 

 Trochilus Tobago, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 350? 

 Ornismya viridissima, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 207. pi. 75. 



We have here a species that has been common in our collections from the earliest period at which the 

 productions of South America became known to us ; but it is quite impossible to say under what name it is 

 designated by the older writers ; this difficulty has arisen from the absence of illustrations in their works, 

 and from their careless and curt descriptions applying equally well to several species. M. Bourcier, of Paris, 

 whose opinions respecting the great group of Humming Birds are not to be questioned, has kindly favoured 

 me with the above list of synonyms, as probably referring to this species, and they are given entirely on his 

 authority. 



The term viridissima, assigned to this species by M. Lesson, having been employed many years before by 

 Gmelin for another member of the family, and the other synonyms given above being, in my opinion, very 

 questionable, I agree with M. Bourcier and Prince Charles L. Bonaparte, that it will be advantageous to 

 give the present bird another appellation, and I have therefore adopted that of Linncei, proposed for it by 

 the Prince, in honour of the great Swedish naturalist. 



The native habitat of this species is Northern Brazil, Guiana, and the neighbouring countries ; it is also 

 said to visit Tobago ; but whether it is to be found in that or any other of the West Indian Islands, is unknown 

 to me. My specimens are from Para, the Delta of the Amazon, and Guiana, and I believe I may also say, 

 from Santa Fe de Bogota ; for I possess examples from that locality which so closely accord with the others, 

 that I have no doubt of their identity, the only differences being a trifling increase in the length of the bill 

 and a slight tipping of white to the tail-feathers. 



The sexes, like those of T. albwentris, very closely assimilate in colour ; but the female is somewhat 

 smaller than her mate. 



Head, all the upper surface, upper and under wing-coverts, and tail-coverts bronzy green ; wings purplish 

 brown ; central tail-feathers bronzy green ; the remainder black, with paler tips ; throat and breast glittering 

 grass-green, fading into duller green on the flanks ; a narrow stripe down the abdomen, and the under tail- 

 coverts white. 



The figures are the size of life. The plant is copied from a drawing sent to me by Mr. Reeves. 



