ELVIRA CUPREICEPS 



Coppercrown. 



EupJierusa cupreiceps, Lawr. Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. New York, viii. p. 348 (1867). 

 Thaiimatias cupreiceps, Sclater & Salvin, Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 92. 



Elvira cupreiceps, Mulsant, Ilist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, i. p. 268. — ^EUiot, Synops, Hum- 

 ming-birds, p. 210. 



This pretty little Humming-bird is a native of Costa Rica, where it would appear to have a restricted range, 

 as only a limited number of specimens have reached us from that country. When 1 finished my ' Mono- 

 oraph,' in 1860, only one species of the genus was known, the Elvira chionura of Veragua and Costa Rica, 

 which I at that time placed in the genus Thaumatias\ and to the latter genus the present bird has been 

 referred by Messrs, Sclater and Salvin. The genus Ekira was instituted by MM. Mulsant and Verreaux 

 for the reception of jE". chionura'^ and the latter bird and E. cuprekeps are at present its sole tenants. As 

 pointed out by Mr. Elliot, the last-named species has the middle tail-feathers coppery bronze instead of 

 bronzy green ; and the lateral ones are white tipped with bronze, instead of being white with the apical 



portions black. 



Altogether this species is a very interesting one, as showing a representative of an otherwise unique form; 

 and I have great pleasure in figuring it in my ' Supplement.' I have never wavered in my affection for the 

 Humming-birds; and now that the number of novelties has reached a respectable total, I find myself in a 

 position to issue a sister volume to the ' Monograph,' which I hope may not be unworthy of its predecessors. 

 In such a case as the present it is eminently useful to have good figures, in order to assist in the identification 

 of the species, although the birds may not be so striking as some which it has fallen to the lot of recent 



writers to describe. 



As I have perfect specimens of this bird, I will give a description of the colouring of both sexes, which 



their fine condition enables me to do. 



Male,—&\\\ rather curved and quite as long as the head ; crown coppery, with greenish reflections ; the 

 hinder part of the head, the neck, shoulders, and the whole of the back are of a dull yellowish green, 

 while all the underparts, from the neck to the vent, are light shining green, which looks soft and not 

 glittering; the upper tail-coverts are golden bronze ; the four middle tail-feathers are bronzy; the three 

 outer on each side are ^vhite, except the extreme tips, which are stained with greyish brown ; the wings 



are brown, tinged with red. 



T\i^ female is a much plainer bird than the male; the bill is somewhat curved and even more lengthened; 

 the crown, in colour, is of a redder cast than the back, which is dull golden green. The upper tail-coverts 

 are very like those of the male, and the middle long tail-feathers nearly of the same colour, while the three 

 outer feathers are white with a triangular mark of brown near the end; the throat and under surface are 

 white, except the flanks, which are greenish. 



Total length of the male 3J inches, wing If, tail if, bill I. 



Total length of female 3 inches, wing If, tail If, bill I. 



The Plate contains two males and a female, of the natural size. 



