PHAETHORNIS BOURCIERI.
Bourcier’s Hermit.
I r o c h ilu s B o u r c ie r i, Less. Les Troch., p. 6 2 . pi. 18.
P h c e to rn is B o u r c ie r i, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 104, P lic e to rn is , sp. 9.
P h a e to r n is b o u r c ie r i, Bon ap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 6 7 , P h a e to r n i s , sp. 9-
I b e l i e v e Cayenne to be the native country o f this species o f Phaethornis, which, although assimilating in
colour to many of its allies, may be readily distinguished by the nearly straight form of its bill and by the
almost uniform greyish white tint of the throat and under surface; in size it is much smaller than P . super-
ciliosus or P . Eunjnome.
M. Lesson has named this pretty species Bourcieri, in honour o f a gentleman whose collection o f the
Trochilidse is the most celebrated and complete on the Continent; whose devotion to the subject is so well
known, and who, by his researches while Consul for the French Government at Quito, has contributed so
largely to our knowledge o f this lovely group o f birds.
The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is smaller than the male.
Head, upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy green; wings purplish brown ; tail-coverts bronzy green,
with a crescent o f brown near the extremity, and tipped with buif; tail bronzy green, deepening into black
on the middle o f the feather and on the extremity o f their inner webs; the tip of the outer web buif, and
the extreme end o f the inner web fringed with whitish ; the lengthened and narrower portion o f the two
central feathers brownish black, gradually passing into the white o f their apices; under surface greyish
buff, palest on the throat, abdomen and under tail-coverts, and clouded with dusky on the flanks; upper
mandible dark brown; under mandible straw-yellow, except at the point where it becomes o f a dark brown
h u e ; feet yellowish brown.
In young birds the feathers o f the upper surface are fringed with rufous.
The front figure is o f the natural size.