SPARGANURA GLYCERIA. 



Purple-tailed Comet. 



Cometes mossai, Gould, Athen. 1853. 



Cometes? glyceria, Gould, Mon. Troch. vol. iii. p. 104, 1861. 



Leshia ghjceria, Bon. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 252. 



Zodalia glyceria, Muls. vol. iii. p. 250.— Elliot, Synopsis of the Trochilid^, p. 150. 



Spargamira mossai, Cab. & Heine, Mus. Hein. 1860, Tli. iii. p. 52, note. 



Spargafiura glyceria, Sclat. & Salv. Nomencl p. 80, 1873. 



Being in ])ossession of a female specimen of Spargamira glyceria, I think it advisable, both in the interests 

 of the Trochilidist and of those who study the subject less scientifically, to figure it in this Supplement, and 

 at the same time to associate with the drawing one of the male, back and front, which has already been 

 depicted in the third volume of the 'Humming-birds.' Had it been possible, this female would have 

 been figured thirty years ago. 



Both Mr. Elliot, of North America, and M. Mulsant, of France, a short time ago completed Monographs 

 of the.Humming-birds. When giving the description of this bird, they both say, in their letterpress, that 

 there was no female known. This they would not have said had they ever seen my beautiful specimen, 

 which I now figure, and which has been lying beside the male for the last five or six years. 



In comparing Sparganura (Humming-birds with broad tail-feathers and pointed throat-marks) with 

 Zodalia, the diflferences between the two genera are apparent. The throat-mark in the latter is rounded, and 

 the tail-feathers narrow ; the rich purple colour of the back distinguishes the latter bird from all the species 

 of this great family. A glance at the plates of S. glyceria and Z. ortoni will, I think, convince any one 

 that the two species belong to distinct genera. 



Before leaving the subject, I may state that I think it would be well for collectors to go to Popayan, or 

 within a hundred miles of it, if they would supply those at home with the bird they so much admire. 



The colouring of the male : — Head, back of the neck, wing-coverts, back, and tail-coverts deep shining 

 green ; wings purplish brown ; chin and throat metallic light olive-green ; sides of the neck and under 

 surface bufl^, with a spot of deep shining green at the tip of each feather ; tail dark reddish purple, 

 passing into deep bluish green at the tip, except on the outer feathers, where the hue is so faint as to be 

 scarcely perceptible ; the outer feathers also have the basal three fourths of the shafts and the outer webs 

 bufl^y white, the base of the shaft paler than the web ; basal three fourths of the shaft of the next feathers 

 also bufl^y white ; under tail-coverts buflF, with a brown mark in the centre near the tip. 



Female. All the crown, back of the neck, and back green ; throat, centre of the belly, and under tail- 

 coverts buff; these minutely spotted with green ; on the throat more numerous, and larger spottings on the 

 sides, and no such green spots on the buff which covers the under tail-coverts (at least the green is scarcely 

 perceptible) ; wings above purplish brown ; tail coloured with the brightest purple on the upper part, 

 some of the feathers, particularly the short middle ones, tipped with green ; the undersides of the plumage 

 precisely like those of the male ; bill brown. 



Male. Total leno-th 6 inches, tail 3i, wing 2i, bill i, tarsi f ; toes and nails longer than the tarsus. 



Female. Total length 4i inches, tail 2i, wing 21, bill \. 



The Plate represents the male in two positions, and a female, of the natural size. 



Habitat. Popayan. 



