JGcubl«minefiutila-da a luff. p h a e t h o r m s t t h j j l ì p p i ,
ìhiU inim ild li
PHAÉTHORNIS PHILIPPI.
De Filippi’s Hermit.
T ro ch ilu s P h ilip p ii, Bourc. Ann. de la Soc. Sci. de Ly on , 1 8 4 7 , p. 6 23.
— D e F il ip p i i , Bourc. Rev . Zool. 1 8 4 7 , p. 4 0 1 .
P h a to r n i s P h il ip p i , Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, voi. i. p. 1 0 4 , P h a to r n is , sp. 18 .
P h a e to i'n is p h il ip p i , Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 6 8 , P h a e to rn is , sp. 18.
O rth o rn is d e f ilip p i, Bonap. Rev. e t Mag. de Zool. 1 8 5 4 , p. 2 4 9 .
A m e tr o rn is D e F ilip p i, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 14.
I am indebted for many favours to M. Bourcier, the great Trochilidist o f France, who has paid more
attention to the Humming Birds than any other person on the Continent. In his Collection there are some
unique species, and this, which is one o f them, has been kindly transmitted to me by that gentleman for
the purpose o f being figured in the present work. It is a well-marked and very distinct species, differing
from all the other members o f the genus Phdethornis in its rather long and almost straight b ill; in the four
lateral tail-feathers on each side being very conspicuously tipped with chestnut-red, and offering a great
contrast to the tips o f the two central feathers, which are terminated with white. In the rufous colouring
of its upper and under tail-coverts it also differs from most o f its congeners. I am unable to say in what part
of South America this bird was procured, and I believe that M. Bourcier is equally unaware o f its proper
habitat. Dr. Reichenhach states that it is from Bolivia, on what authority I know not. Here then we
have further evidence that our knowledge o f the Trochilidte is still very incomplete, the single example of
this species here represented being, so far as I am aware, the only one yet sent to Europe. M. Bourcier
has named it after Dr. De Filippi, Professor o f Zoology in the University o f Milan.
Head, upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy-green, slightly tinged with brown; upper tail-coverts
bronzy-brown, largely tipped with rufous; four lateral tail-feathers largely tipped with rufous, below this
a zone o f brownish-black, their basal portions bronzy-green; the two middle feathers are brownish-black
for about two-thirds o f their length from their base, the apical third being white; wings purplish-brown;
all the under surface, from the chin to the vent, and the under tail-coverts rich reddish-buff; upper
mandible brownish-black; under mandible* except the extreme tip, straw- or perhaps flesh-colour;^ feet
light brown.
The figures are of the natural size.