ZODALIA ORTONI. 



Quito Purpleback. 



Leshia ortoni, Lawr. Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, 1869, vol. ix. p. 269. 



Zodalia ortoni, Muls. Hist. Nat. Oiseaus-Mouehes, torn. iii. p. 282.— Elliot, Syn. p. 149 



Since the closing of my ' Monograph of the Humniing-birds/ twenty years ago, many fine Humming-birds 

 have been discovered. The Zodalia ortoni is one of the gayest. The first and only known male was taken 

 in the Quito valley, Ecuador, about 1869, and now graces the Museum of Vassar College, New York, It is 

 a Httle surprising that the late Dr. Jameson never found this fine Humming-bird at Quito, although he 

 lived at that place nearly all his life. 



I consider that M. Mulsant is right in separating this species generically, and have often regretted that 

 my friend Lawrence did not apply a new generic name to this very singular bird, particularly as he 

 himself hinted at the end of his description, /' perhaps the two species should be placed in a new genus." 



The female of this species is the property of Mr. O. Salvin, and was, I believe, obtained from a 

 collector who stated he brought it from Quito, close to the place where the male was procured. This 

 female, unlike other Sylphs, has a short forked tail with the outer feathers rather pointed. 



The narrow-tailed bird from Quito, Zodalia ortom, and the broad-tailed from Popayan, Cometes glycerhi, 

 are said to be of the same form. This opinion I cannot agree w^ith. The light luminous throat-mark of the 

 birds which we now call sparganura runs down to a point ; the tail-feather is very broad ; the throat-mark 

 of ortoni is of a richer green, and similar in shape to that of Lesbia Gouldii, 



I will now give a part of Mr, Lawrence's description of this fine bird : — ■*' In both glyceria and ortoni 

 the tail is shorter than in members of Cometes or Leshia. The bill is like that o{ Leshia. Perhaps the two 

 si)ecies should be placed in a new genus. The upper colouring of ortoni is somewhat like that of 

 Ramphomicron microrhynchus^ but is of a lighter shade and less shining. In the under plumage it 

 resembles L. amaryllis\ but the breast is of a darker green, more uniform in colour, as the buff bases 

 and edges of the feathers are less apparent. The gorgets of amaryllis and ortoni are much alike in colour 

 and extent, 



''Male. Entire upper plumage and wlng-coverts of a rich glossy purple, the concealed bases of the feathers 

 are green ; upper tail-coverts similar in colour to the back, but marked centrally between the purple and 

 green with crimson ; the tail-feathers are brownish black, except the two central, which are green ; the 

 ends of the eight middle feathers are largely marked with a deep vinous bronzy crimson, most in extent on 

 the short central feathers ; the outer feather on each side ends with obscure bronzy green ; the outer edge of 

 the lateral feather is buff for three quarters of its length from the base, this colour occupying only about one 

 third the width of the web ; the under surface of the tail is steel-blue, bronzy at the ends of the feathers ; 

 the shafts of the two long lateral feathers are whitish at base for about half their length ; wings brownish 

 purple; the throat-gorget is of a brilliant metallic pale green; the sides of the neck, breast, upper part 

 of abdomen, and sides are of a shining green ; lower part of abdomen ashy buff; bill and feet black." 



Mr. Salvin's female, which he has lent to me, has the crown, nape, shoulders, and all the feathers of the 

 rump green ; the centre of the throat and middle of the underside are most minutely speckled, almost solid 

 on the flanks ; under tail-coverts buflf, a very little greenish white on the underside of the tarsus. Hie 

 tail is very attractively coloured for a female bird ; three or four of the blue feathers are tipped with 

 green. For myself I am thankful for the loan of both sexes, neither of which I possess. 



Male. Total length 51 inches, wing 2i tail 3A-. 



Female. Total length 4i inches, wing 2i, tail 2i, bill i 



The accompanying Plate represents two males in different positions and a female, all of the natural size. 



