CALOTHORAX HELIODORL 



Heliodore's Wood Star. 



Ornismya HeUodori, Bourc. Rev. Zool. 1840, p. 275.-Ann. Sci. Phys. &c. de Lyon, torn, v 



1842, p. 308, pi. XV. male, xvi. female. 

 Mellisuga HeUodori, Gray and Mitcli. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 113, Mellisuga, sp. QQ. 

 Calothorax HeUodori, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 85. 



There is no Humming Bird with which I am acquainted that has so short and feeble a wing as the Calo- 

 thoraw HeUodori, while on the other hand I know of no species of the smaller members of the group having 

 so robust a body and so deep a pectoral muscle ; hence we may infer with a degree of certainty, that the 

 deficiency in the size of the wing is compensated by a great increase of muscular force, which enables it to 

 maintain a flight characterized by a vibratory action of inconceivable rapidity. It is somewhat singular 

 that the small size of the wing is much more decided in the adult male than in the female or young male, 

 a circumstance which it is not very easy to account for ; there is no doubt that the increased muscular power 

 of the adult male compensates for the shortness of wing, but the laws which regulate muscular development 

 and that of the plumage, and especially of such portions as are necessary to flight, are at present but little 

 understood. Sheltered valleys and moderate elevations of the Cordilleran Andes, where the temperature 

 is congenial, constitute the habitat of this little species. I have received it from Pamplona, from the 

 banks of the Magdalena, and from Sta Fe de Bogota, in which latter district there is every reason to 

 believe it is to be found in considerable abundance, inasmuch as but few collections are sent from that 

 portion of South America which do not contain examples. 



All the tail-feathers of the males of this species, like those of Calothorax Mukanti, are slender, but 

 the two external ones on each side are reduced almost to a setaceous filament ; on the other hand, the 

 tail-feathers of the female and young male are quite opposite in character, as will be seen on reference 

 to the accompanying Plate, which represents two adult males, a supposed young male, and a female, 

 the latter surmounting a blossom of the Cereus crenatus, a beautiful Cactus, lately sent to this country 

 from the district the bird frequents ; the fine blossom figured was given to me by Mr. Glendinning 

 of Chiswick Nursery, to whom my thanks are due. It is not to be understood, however, that the bird 

 feeds exclusively on flowers of this character, for M. Bourcier informs me that it frequents the topmost 

 branches of the lofty Mimosa trees, from the abundant flowers of which it extracts its insect food. M, Bour- 

 cier states that he has named this bird HeUodori after his son, in order to create in him a love of science 

 and a taste for natural history. 



The male has all the upper surface, flanks and abdomen dark shining green ; wings purplish brown ; 

 tail brownish black ; at the union of the flanks with the upper surface a patch of white ; throat and 

 lengthened plumes on the sides of the neck violet-red, beneath which is a transverse line of greyish white ; 

 centre of the breast grey ; vent and thighs white ; bill black. 



The female has the upper surface bronzy green ; lores and streak behind the eye dark brown ; under 

 surface and tail deep reddish buff, the latter crossed near the tip by a band of brownish black ; tufts of 

 white on the sides as in the male. "~ 



In the immature state the birds I believe to be young males have the under surface in some instances 

 white, in others rufous like that of the female. 



The Plate represents two males, a female, and probably a young male of the natural size. 



