SELASPHORUS ARDENS, SaMn. 



Salvin^s Flame-bearer, 



Selasphorus ardens, Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1870, p. 209. — Scl. & Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. 

 p. 84 (1873).— Muls. Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, iv. p. 103 (1877).— Elliot, 

 Synopsis of the Humming-Birds, p. 110 (1878). 



The species of the genus Selasphorus, as pointed out by Mr. Elliot, are distinguished by the colour of their 

 throats; and in the present species and S. platycercus the throat has been characterized by him as "dark 

 amethystine-red." S. ardens differs from S. platycerctis in being smaller, and in having the flanks and 

 abdomen dark green instead of grey. Mr. Salvin has given the following notes on the species — 



"This species has the throat coloured just as in S, platycercus, which is in other respects a very different 

 species. Its nearest allies, however, are S. Jlammula and S, torridus\ but it differs from both in the 

 coloration of the throat, and also in having the central tail-feathers black, edged with rufous instead of 

 green : this latter distinction is more conspicuous when the tail is compared with that of S. Jlammula. 

 The wholly black bill and the absence of the elongated gular feathers distinguish it from S. torridus. 

 The male sent by Arce is not in quite perfect plumage, but is so far satisfactory as to show a few faded 

 feathers on the throat. These are bronzy, and quite different in colour from the gorget-feathers of either 

 S, Jlammula or S. torridus'' 



The following complete description of the sexes has been borrowed from Mr. Elliot's work above alluded 

 to: — 



" Male. Upper parts dark bronzy green, lores and ear-coverts rufous, the latter mixed with black. Throat 

 metallic amethystine-red. Breast, middle of abdomen, and under tail-coverts white, flanks dark green, which 

 colour almost meets on the upper part of breast. Tail purplish-black, both webs of middle feathers and 

 inner webs of lateral ones margined with rufous. Wings purplish brown. Bill black. Total length 

 2f inches, wing H, tail li, culmen I. 



^^ Female. Upper parts bronzy green, margined with rufous on the sides of lower part of back and rump. 

 Throat bufl^y white, spotted with brown. Breast white. Underparts buff. Middle tail-feathers bronzy 

 green, lateral ones buff with a black bar across their central part. Bill black." 



I am indebted to Messrs. Salvin and Godman for the loan of the pair of birds from which the figures in the 

 Plate are taken. 



SELASPHORUS FLAMMULA, Saivin. 



Rosy-throated Flame-bearer. 



Selasphorus Jlammula, Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 586. — Scl. & Salv. Nomencl. Av. 

 Neotr. p. 84 (1873).— Mulsant, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, iv. p. 99 (1877).— 

 Elliot, Synopsis of the Humming-Birds, p. 110 (1878). 



The throat in this species is of a metallic rosy-red colour, which renders it a conspicuous bird. Its 

 habitat appears to be confined to Costa Rica and Veragua ; and nothing seems to be known of its habits, which, 

 however, are doubtless similar to those of the other Selasphori. 



The descriptions of both sexes are here copied from Mr. Elliot's work above quoted :— 



" Male. Upper parts shining grass-green. Throat metallic rose-red. Breast and middle of abdomen white. 



