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H A R TH O R
PHAETHORNIS AMAURA.
Amaura Hermit.
P y gm o r rm A m a u r a , Bourc. in Rev. Zool. 1 8 5 6 , p. 5 5 2 .
P lu e th o rn is a tr im e n ta lis , Lawr. in Ann. L y c . N a t. H ist. N ew York, vol. vi. p. 2 6 0 .
My collection contains several examples o f this species, all of which were obtained from the upper part of
the Rio Negro. On submitting them to the inspection o f M. Bourcier, that gentleman immediately recognized
them as being the same as his Pygmornis Amaura. More recently Mr. Lawrence o f New York has
favoured me with the loan o f the type specimen of his Phaethornis atrimentalis, the sight o f which enables
me to state that it is precisely identical with my own specimens, consequently the name of atrimentalis must
give place to that o f Amaura. In its affinities, this species is more closely allied to the bird I have figured
under the name o f P . Longuemareus than to any other; from this, however, it differs in its smaller size, and
in the black at the throat being streaked and clouded instead o f forming a distinct spot. The two birds
are evidently representatives o f each other in the respective districts they inhabit; the older-known species
frequenting the east, while the newly-discovered one is equally confined to the west.
Crown o f the head, all the upper surface, wing and tail-coverts dark bronzy green, the tail-coverts margined
with deep rufous; wings purplish brown; tail-feathers bronzy green, passing into brownish green
towards the end, and tipped with buffy white; ear-coverts black, bounded above and below with a line of
bufly white; chin clouded or streaked with black; under surface rufous, washed with grey on the breast,
and becoming much paler on the under tail-coverts ; upper mandible and apical half o f the lower mandible
black, the basal half o f the latter being yellow ; irides black; feet yellowish white.
The figures are o f the natural size. The plant is the Leucothoe pulchra.