ANDRODON .EQUATORIALIS, GonU. 



Ecuadorian Tooth-bilL 



Androdon (Bquatorialis, Gould, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1863, vol. xii. p. 247. — Elliot's Sjn 



p. 5, 1879. 

 OrypJms lequatorialis, Muls. Hist. Nat. Ois.-Moucli. torn. i. p. 32, pi. 



It was a source of great pleasure to me that such an interesting form of Humming-bird had been discovered 

 since my great Monograph was published. Of this curious Humming-bird, according to my statement in 

 the 'Annals/ I had but two specimens — one whose bill was armed with teeth, and a hook at the end of 

 each mandible ; the other was toothless in the same organ, and the upper bill did not end in a hook. 

 Judging from this difference in the bills, the male only had teeth ending in a hook, the bill of the female 

 is straighter and smooth at the edges, as will be seen by a glance at the drawing. 



This singular form of Androdon has its alliances, although they are not very near ; Gnjphus, and Eutocceres 

 may be stated as two of them ; these forms, I beheve, run into Glaucis and Phaethornis. The form about which 

 I am now writing has moderately large wings, while the tail-feathers are half covered ; tarsi and feet very 

 small. 



As I have never seen a line written on the history of the Ecuadorian Tooth-bill, I fear some repetition of 

 my original description must be added; for myself, I literally do not know any thing about its habits and 

 economy. 



The following appeared in the 'Annals ' : — 



" I send for insertion in your next Number a description of a new and very singular Humming-bird which 

 I have lately received from Ecuador. Not only does it differ specifically from every other with which I am 

 acquainted, but it also differs in its structure from every form comprised in the great family of Trochilidee. 



*'This new bird is so very singular that it is not easy to say to which section of the family it is most 

 nearly related; but in some of its characters it assimilates with Gryphus, Eutoweres, and Doryfera. In size 

 it is about equal to Lampornis mango \ the edges of its mandibles are thickly set with fine teeth, like those 

 of Grtjphus, but more strongly developed; the bill is very long for the size of the bird, and has rather an 

 upward curvature; the wings are moderate in proportion to the body; and the tail is square or shghtly 

 rounded. The bird must be ranked among the dull-coloured species of its extensive family; at the same 

 time it exhibits some approach to a metallic lustre in the blue or bronzy-red colouring of the hinder part 

 of the crown. I say blue or bronzy-red, because the only specimens I have seen differ in this way, as they 

 also do in the form of the bill, — the one with a blue crown having the toothing strongly developed, and 

 the bill terminating in spiny hooks which cross each other when that organ is closed ; whilst the other 

 with a bronzy-red crown has a longer bill, the serrations are not developed, and the spiny hooks are 

 wanting. The tarsi are partly bare of feathers ; and the feet are small, pale in colour, and with very long 

 black nails. The back in both is bronzy green ; the rump apparently crossed with white feathers, while 

 the upper tail-coverts are bluish ; the tail-feathers are pale olive-grey at the base crossed with a band of 

 blackish green near the tip, the three outer ones on each side being largely tipped with white ; wings 

 purpUsh brown, with epaulets of light grey, similar in form to those seen in Helianthea eos\ Ml the under 

 surface grey, with a conspicuous streak of blackish brown down the feathers of the throat, as in Eutoooeres. 



''Total length 51 inches, bill 11, wing If, tail II. 



''Hah, Ecuador." 



