THAUMASTURA ELIZ^. 



Mexican Shear-tail. 



Trochilus Eliza, Less, et DeLatt. Rev. ZooL 1839, p. 20. 



Myrfis Elisa, Reich. Aufz. der CoHbris, p. 13. 



Lucifer elisa, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 257. 



CalotJiorax Elizay Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 110, Calothorax^ sp. 8, 



We have here a Humming-bird of especial beauty ; its colouring being so chaste and its form so elegant, 

 that it is unsurpassed in loveliness by any other member of the section to which it belongs. It is indeed 

 an object strictly in unison with the rich and fairy-like lands of which it is a native, namely Jalapa and the 

 other genial provinces of Mexico. Few of the Trochilidae are more rare, and few are the collections which 

 contain examples ; I, however, have the good fortune to possess a male and a female with their nest and 

 eggs, all of which were procured at Cordova in Mexico by M. Salle. 



The first description of the species appeared in the "Revue Zoologique " for 1839, from the pen of 

 M. DeLattre, a gentleman well acquainted with the Trochilidse, but who unhappily is now no more, and who, 

 it is to be feared, contracted the disease which terminated his useful life during his pursuit of this group of 

 birds, of which he obtained many new species. 



The following remarks, which are given in M. DeLattre's own words, comprise all that is at present 

 known respecting this lovely bird : — 



" Cette espece, excessivement rare, a ete rencontre dans le pays appelle le Pas de Tmireau, entre la Vera 

 Crux et Jalapa. Elle est tres matinale, vit en societe, et reste en repos depuis neuf heures du matin jusqua 

 quatre heures du soir. Le male fait entendre en volant un bourdonnement assez fort. II se couche tard 

 et lorsqu'il ne voit absolument plus. II se nourrit sur les arbres." 



M. DeLattre named this species Eliza in honour of the wife of Dr. Amedee Lefevre, Professor of Zoology 

 and Materia Medica at Rochefort. 



The male has the crown of the head bronzy-brown ; sides of the head, back of the neck, all the upper 

 surface of the body, upper and under wing-coverts and flanks of a rich shining golden hue ; upper tail-coverts 

 shining green ; wings purplish-brown ; chin and chest beautiful metallic violaceous-crimson ; across the 

 breast a broad gorget of white ; centre of the abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts dull white ; tail purphsh- 

 black, all but the outer feather on each side margined internally from the base to near the tip with deep 

 sandy-buflT; bill and feet blackish-brown. 



The female has the crown greyish-brown; all the upper surface golden-green; wings purplish-black; 

 central tail-feathers shining green, the remainder sandy-buff at the base, then black, and white at the tip; 

 under surface white tinged with buff. 



The nest is of a round, cup-shaped, but somewhat lengthened form, and is placed in the fork of a small 

 upright branch : it is composed of a cottony material coated on the outside with a dark reddish-coloured 

 moss, flat pieces of lichens, &c., bound together with cobwebs ; the eggs as usual are white and two in 

 number. 



The Plate represents two males and a female of the natural size. The plant is the Begotiia biserrata. 



