METALLURA JELSKII, cab. 



Jelski's Copper- tail. 



Metalliira jelshu, Cab. Journ. fiir Orn. 1874, p. 99.— Mulsant, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, 

 iii. p. 109 cum fig. (1877).— Elliot, Synopsis of the IIumming-Birds, p. 164 

 (1878).— Tacz. Orn. du Perou, i. p. 354 (1884). 



Metallura cupreicauda, Tacz. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1874, p. 544 (nee Gould). 



This species was discovered in Peru by the celebrated Polish traveller whose name it bears, and by whom 

 it was met with in the high mountains near Lake Junin, between Ciicas and Palcamayo. 



Mr. Elliot places the species in the section of the genus Metallura with bluish-green throats and blackish- 

 purple general coloration. It is allied to M. opaca and M. chloropogon, but is distinguished by the colour 

 of the tail, which, according to Mr. Elliot, is luminous vinous purple. Nothing has been recorded of 

 its habits. 



The following description is translated from Dr. Taczanowski's work on the Birds of Peru: 



Adult male. The entire plumage is black of a dull silky texture, presenting under certain lights, 

 especially when seen frontways from behind, a slight lustre of bluish or reddish violet, according to the 

 direction of the light; tail-coverts brownish black, glossed with bronzy or reddish copper; fore part of the 

 throat ornamented with scaly plumes of a dark and brilliant emerald-green ; anal region downy and white; 

 under tail-coverts bronzy, with a violet reflection and bordered with pale reddish ; wing-coverts dtdl 

 coppery bronze, taking under certain lights a lustre of reddish violet similar to that of the general 

 plumage; quills brown, glossed with bronzy olive and violet in their terminal parts ; tail slightly emarginate, 

 the tail-feathers broad, the middle ones slightly rounded, the others rather pointed at the extremity, of a 

 dark coppery bronze, taking a lustre of more reddish or violet colour according to the direction of the light, 

 and changing to a fine greenish-blue but very brilliant lustre when looked at from behind forwards ; lower 

 part of the tail coppery red or violet, more brilliant than the upper surface. Bill straight, black, much 

 longer than the head, a little less than half the body ; feet black, with the tarsus almost entirely bare. 



Adult female. Dusky black above, brownish below, with the same violet lustre as the male; forehead pale 

 brownish grey, gradually passing into a darker shade on the hind neck ; feathers of the breast and abdomen 

 narrowly fringed with buff, more distinctly In the middle of the belly; tail-coverts dull bronze; fore neck 

 ornamented with scaly feathers, of a blue colour broadly edged with violet, the lustre less strongly developed 

 than in the male; tail not so long, somewhat truncated, similar in colour to the male, but in general less 

 red and more coppery, with the greenish blue not so brilliant. 



[R. B. S.] 



METALLURA PRIMOLINA. 



Guiana Copper-tail. 



Specimens of this bird were sent by Mr. Whitely from British Guiana, and we were induced to figure it 

 under the idea that it was new to science. Mr. Salvin, however, considers that it is the adult male of 

 M. prmolitia^ and the name of J/, heterocerca will have to be suppressed. 



[R. B. S.] 



