FMÆETffiOMIg CTTT,
PHAËTHORNIS GUY.
Guy’s Hermit.
T ro ch ilu s G u y , Less. L e s Tro ch., p. 119. pi- 44.
P h c e to r n is G u y , Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 104, P h c e to rn is , sp. 6 .
P h a e to r n i s G u y , Bon ap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 6 7 , P h a e to r n i s , sp. 6 .
T ro ch ilu s a p ic a lis , Licht. in Mus. Berlin.— Tsch. Consp. Av., N o . 199-— lb . Faun. Peruana,
p. 2 43.
P h c e to r n is a p ic a lis , G ray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 104, P h c e to rn is, sp. 17-
P h a e to r n i s a p ic a lis , Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 6 8 , P h a e to r n i s , sp. 17.
T ro ch ilu s Em ilic e , Bourc. Ann. de la Soc. d’Agr. Hist. N a t ., etc. d e Lyon, 1 846, p. 3 17. •
A l e n g t h e n e d , but well-proportioned form, with wings and tail in every way in unison, renders this
species o f Pha'èthornis one o f the most elegant members of the genus yet discovered. At the same time,
the changes o f plumage, to which it appears to be subjected, are both numerous and perplexing ; some
specimens having the head much browner than others, the stripes down the throat more rufous, and the
sides o f the throat more extensively glossed with green : considerable difference occurs also in the form
and colouring o f the tail, some having the apical half o f the lateral feathers nearly uniform black, and o f a
somewhat short and rounded form, with the prolonged portion of the central feathers very narrow ; while
in others, the lateral feathers are margined with white, and have the prolonged portion of the central tail-
feathers broader and longer.
M. Bourcier has characterized a bird, the description o f which closely accords with that of the
specimens with the black tail, under the name o f T . Emilioe ; but I possess numerous examples, intermediate
in every respect between the states above described ; and I am, therefore, inclined to think that
his bird is only one o f the states o f the present species : still his view may be the correct one, and a
further acquaintance with the subject may convince me that such is the case ; but at present it appears
to me that his T . Emilioe is identical with P . Guy.
In the present state o f uncertainty I am unable to say if any sexual differences of colour really exist, and
it is, therefore, a subject to which I would particularly direct the attention o f those who, residing in the
country, may have opportunities for determining this point by actual dissection.
The habitat o f P . Guy is Cayenne, La Trinité, Venezuela, and Santa Fé de Bogota, over which countries
it is very generally dispersed.
Upper surface and wing-coverts glossy green ; the feathers o f the head inclining to brown, and narrowly
edged with deep dull rufous ; wings purple brown ; upper tail-coverts glaucous green, with a crescent of
black, and another o f white at the tip ; lores and ear-coverts blackish brown ; a stripe above and behind
the eye, another from the gape, an<La third down the centre of the throat, deep buff; under surface ashy
grey, glossed witll**green on the flanks, and passing into buff on the vent ; tail-feathers glaucous green at
the base, and black for the remainder o f their length, the central ones largely tipped, and the lateral ones
fringed on the outer portion o f their tips with white ; under tail-coverts greyish white, with darker centres ;
upper mandible and tip o f the lower mandible black; basal two-thirds o f the lower mandible fleshy red;
feet brown.
The figures are o f the natural size.