CAMPYLOPTERUS PHAINOPEPLUS, 5. .^ g. 



Simons's Sabre-wing^. 



Campylopterus phainopeplus, Salvin & Godraan, Ibis, 1879, p. 202. — lid. Ibis, 1880, p. 171, 

 pi. iv, fig. 1. 



This beautiful Humming-bird was discovered by Mr. F, Simons, in tbe Sierra Nevada of Santa Maria, in 

 1879, and was met with by him at altitudes varying between 4000 and 15,000 feet above the sea-level. It 

 has been described by Messrs. Salvin and Godman, who state that it is allied to Campylopterus villamcencii^ 

 but presenting many points of distinction — the colour of the head not being golden green, the body being 

 much more shining green, the middle tail-feathers steel-blue instead of green, &c. 



The following account of the first capture of the species was contributed by Mr. Simons : — 



" During an eight months' sojourn in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta I had frequent opportunities of 

 observing this interesting and brilliant Humming-bird, which 1 helieve is migratory, spending the months of 

 February, March, April, and May in the banana plantations of the Lower Nevada, from 4000 to 6000 feet 

 above the sea-level. From June to October I found it in the more elevated regions up to nearly the snow- 

 line, or 15,000 feet above the sea-level. While exploring a mountain-gorge near Atanques (4000 feet) 

 I obtained my first specimen, in March. It was resting on a bent twig in the shade of a banana-leaf, and 

 appeared very tame, allowing me to retire some distance before firing. The species was unknown to most 

 of the inhabitants of Atanques, and excited much admiration from its beauty. A few days afterwards I had 

 the pleasure of meeting with it again among the banana-groves of San Jose. These plantations of the 

 Indians are very extensive along the banks of the Guatapuri, at an elevation of 6000 feet, and are the 

 highest banana-cultivation in the Nevada. This Humming-bird is pretty common here, but solitary ; and I 

 seldom saw more than three or, at the most, four in an afternoon. It betrays its presence, not only by the 

 well-known hur-rr of the wings, but also by a sharp double note uttered as it flits from flower to flower. 

 Alighting suddenly on a branch in the shade, it will remain minute after minute without the slightest 

 movement. On these occasions I used to watch them carefully, but never could see them fly away, they 

 disappeared as they came, like phantoms. 



"Visiting San Sebastian in June, I was surprised to find the same little beauty, identical in plumage, but 

 with totally different habits. Instead of shunning the sun, as among the bananas, it establishes itself on the 

 topmost twig of some dead branch or scantily clothed tree, and passes the day filling the air with its loud 

 plaintive note in answer to its mate. Every now and then, as a sort of exercise, it would shoot up into the air 

 like a rocket, sound a very pretty twit-twit^ turn a few somersaults, and descend gracefully witli tail-feathers 

 spread out like a fan. These aerial movements are excessively beautiful, and always resorted to, even if the 

 bird is disturbed. In this latter case it does not return to its accustomed perch, but seeks another tree 

 close by, where it sings on merrily till all danger is ])ast ; it always, however, returns to its old haunt, I 

 watched one for a fortnight, and it never forsook its adopted perch. Another I fired at four times successively 

 without effect; in spite of this it always returned to the same tree. They are very wary and difficult to 

 shoot; and I have spent days dodging them backwards and forwards without getting near enough for a 

 shot, June and July are the flowering months in the elevated regions. This may attract them ; for I have 

 met with them in all parts of the Nevada, especially in a valley at an elevation of 1 1,000 feet, where they were 

 abundant, but so shy that there was no approaching them within a hundred yards. On crossing to the 

 northern flank, I found them as low down as San Miguel, 6000 feet. At San Antonio, 3450 feet, not ten 

 miles distant, they were unknown. 



"On previous visits to San Sebastian in February and March, this species w^as not there; but the Indians 

 told me that after the first rains a very beautiful *Chupa-flor' puts in an appearance, without, however, 

 being very common. Passing a couple of days in San Jose in August, I found they had disappeared. 



"Atanques, a small Indian village of 1000 inhabitants, the capital of the Territory of Nevada, lies in the 

 mountains between the rivers Guatapuri and Badillo, about four miles (as the crow flies) N.E. of Valle Dupar. 



"The first rains begin in April ; May is very wet, June to September showery. The second rains begin 

 in September; October is the worst month ; and November is sometimes wet.'* 



The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size, the figures having been drawn from 

 the typical specimens lent to us by Messrs. Salvin and Godman. 



[R. B. S.] 



