PKAETHORNIS VIRIDICAUDATA, Gould.
Green-tailed Hermit.
P k a e th o rn is v i r id ic a u d a ta , Gould in Proc. o f Z ool. Soc., part xxv. p. 14.
It would appear that some o f the smaller members o f the genus Pkaethornis have the lower part of the back
and upper tail-coverts buff, while in others those parts are uniform with the upper surface; it is the latter
style o f colouring which prevails in the bird here figured. Its native country is the interior, and I believe
the western parts, o f Brazil; but its range may extend to the confines o f Peru, for there is a specimen in
the Museum at Neufchatel, procured by Dr. Tschudi, with the name of pygmceus of Spix attached to it,
which, if not identical with this bird, is most closely allied to it.
As will be seen on reference to the accompanying Plate, the Pkaethornis viridicaudata is a very pretty
species, rendered conspicuous by the rich colouring o f the chest and the rather lengthened form o f its tail.
The two specimens in my collection are all that have come under my notice, unless the bird procured by
Dr. Tschudi should prove to be the same.
Stripe over and behind the eye buff; crown o f the head, upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy grass-
green, duller on the head; wings purplish brown ; tail-feathers bronzy grass-green at the base, passing into
dark brown towards the extremity, the central feathers tipped with white, and the remainder with white on
the apical portion o f the external web; chest reddish buff, becoming paler on the abdomen and v en t; an
obscure light grey stripe below the e y e ; upper mandible black; basal two-thirds of the lower mandible
yellow, tip black ; legs yellow.
The figures are o f the natural size. The plant is the Galipea macrophylla.