PHLOGOPHILUS HEMILEUCURUS, Gould. 



Pied-tailed Humming-Bird 



Phlogophilus hemileucurus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part xxviii. p. 310. 



Besides the birds which I have described and figured in the present monograph, I have in my collection 

 several which are either in a state of immaturity or in such a mutilated condition that I have not ventured 

 to write or figure from such imperfect materials. I cannot, however, refrain from giving a figure of one 

 which, although I am certain it is immature, exhibits so many distinctive characters that I have been 

 induced to make it the type of a new genus. The only specimen I have seen has been kindly placed 

 at my disposal by M. Bourcier, who, I believe, received it from the banks of the Napo. It differs so 

 widely from every other known Humming-Bird that I really am unable to determine to which genus it is 

 most nearly allied, its lengthened tarsi and singularly coloured tail rendering it quite distinct from every 

 other member of the entire family ; most probably it will be allied to the Adelomyice. 



I look impatiently for more specimens of this bird, and am especially desirous of seeing the adult. 



Crown of the head brownish green ; back of the neck, upper surface, two middle tail-feathers, and the flanks 

 grass-green ; sides of the face and ear-coverts greenish brown ; centre of the throat, chest, middle of the 

 abdomen, and under tail-coverts white ; tail rounded; the four lateral feathers on each side white, with an 

 oblique band of black or blackish purple occupying the centre of each, this band of black extending along 

 the margin of the two outer feathers to the tip, so that the inner web only is white 5' not so on the next, 

 which is terminated with a large spot or tip of white ; upper mandible black ; under mandible flesh-colour ; 

 feet yellow. 



Total length 3| inches ; bill f ; wing 2i ; tail U. 



The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Paphinia cristata. 



