






















6 Mr. D. G. Elhot on some 
been in some doubt whether Tschudi’s bird belonged to a 
distinct species, or to one already described ; at the same time 
the examples presented certain differences not reconcilable 
with any specimens in our collections. Through the kind- 
ness of M. Taczanowski, director of the Warsaw Museum, I 
have lately received a specimen of a fine adult male, shot by M. 
Jelski in Peru, the country whence Tschudi’s bird came, and 
which, I have no doubt, I am right in attributing to B. 
imsectivora. In order to satisfy ourselves in the matter, Mr. 
Salvin wrote to M. Coulon, at Neuchatel, for the loan of 
Tschudi’s type, a request which, with his characteristic libe- 
rality, was at once acceded to. On comparison it appears to 
be a female; and therefore, as the male has never been de- 
scribed, and as it is quite different from any known species 
of Bourcieria, I havé thought it might be useful for ornitho- 
logists to become acquainted with it in the adult dress. It 
is nearest to B. fulgidigula in the group to which it belongs, 
and not to B. conradi, as supposed by Mr. Gould. It may 
be described as follows :— 
Head and back of neck jet-black ; centre of the crown bril- 
lant metallic golden green, very bright and conspicuous. 
Throat metallic green, this colour extending over the sides of 
the neck, but much less brilliant, beimg a kind of metallic 
gloss on the black of that part. Back and upper tail-coverts 
metallic grass-green. Wings like the back, primaries pur- 
plish brown. Upper part of breast, extending to the green 
of the throat, pure white; rest of underparts and under tail- 
coverts shining grass-green. Median tail-feathers ‘shining 
grass-green ; remainder pure white tipped with green, this 
last becoming more extensive as it proceeds towards the outer- 
most rectrices, which are nearly one third green from the tip, 
and running much further towards the base on the outer web 
than on the inner. The bill is long, straight, and pointed, 
black throughout. The feet flesh-colour. 
The female (‘Tschudi’s type) differs in having the head, 
throat, and upper parts shining green, with none of the black 
observable in the male. Median rectrices green; rest white, 
tipped with black glossed with green. The white is much 


