ADELOMYIA INORNATA, Gould. 



Purple-throated Adelomyia. 



Trochilus ( ?) inornata, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part xiv. p. 89, 



Mellisuga inornata, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 112, Mellisuga, sp. 34 

 Ramphomicron inornatus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 79, Ramphomicron, sp. 6. 

 Adelomyia inornata, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 253. 

 Metallura inornata, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 8. — lb. Troch. enumer., p. 5. 



I 



I FIRST became acquainted with this species in the year 1845, when Mr. Bridges returned from his expe- 

 dition into the interior of Bolivia, and published a description of it, with its admeasurements, in the 

 " Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London " for the year following. Since then I have received 

 specimens from Peru, where they were procured by M. Warszewicz. 



In its affinities the Adelomyia inornata is intimately allied to the A. melanogenys, but differs from that 

 bird in the blue colouring of its throat and the darker tints of its general plumage, particularly of the under 

 surface ; there is also a more marked difference in the colouring of the sexes than occurs in that species, 

 the female wanting the brilliant colouring of the throat. 



Mr. Bridges collected his specimens at Sandillani, near the Yungas of La Paz ; Bolivia and Peru may 

 therefore be considered the native country of the species, which there represents the A. melanogenys of the 

 more northern regions. There would seem to be no richer district in the whole of South America than 

 these Yungas, yielding, as they have done, so many rarities both in birds and other branches of natural 

 history, and where many others doubtless remain yet to be discovered. 



The male has the whole of the upper surface bronzy green ; lores rufous ; stripe over the eye buff"; 

 patch under the eye black ; under surface brown, with bronzy reflexions on the flanks ; feathers of the throat 

 tipped with purplish blue ; wings and tail bronzy, all the feathers of the latter tipped with buff*; bill black. 



The female diflfers in having all the upper surface of a more golden hue, and the under surface buff', 

 with speckles of brown on the throat. 



The figures are the size of life. The plant is the Passiflora Tucamansis, 



