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GLAUCIS LANCEOLATA, Gould.
Lanceolate Hermit.
M any years have now elapsed since I received, direct from Para, three specimens, all of which appear to
he fully adult, o f a species o f Glaucis which M. Bourcier, o f Paris, as well as myself, considers to be
distinct from any o f those already described. This bird is figured on the accompanying plate; and it will
be readily seen that, although it bears a general resemblance to the G. Mazeppa, it has a very different
tail, the feathers being narrow and much more pointed or lance-shaped. I am quite aware that this pointed
form o f tail-feather is characteristic o f the young o f nearly all the species o f the genus, and indeed of the
genera Phaethornis, Eutoxeres, and T h renetes; but in no instance have I seen it carried to so great an extent
as in the specimens above mentioned. They also exhibit another characteristic o f the young o f most, if
not all the species o f this section o f the Trochilidce—namely that o f having the primaries and secondaries
narrowly margined with buflfy grey. With this remark I leave the subject for the consideration o f future
ornithologists, and content myself with suggesting that one o f the points to which we should all direct
attention is that of ascertaining the specific value o f this and the three or four nearly allied members of
the genus Glaucis—namely, G. hirsuta, G. Mazeppa, G. melamra, and G. ajfinis—whether they are all
referable to one, or constitute as many distinct species. The very wide extent of country over which these
birds range is in favour o f the latter hypothesis.
Crown o f the head dark brown ; all the upper surface, wing-coverts, and sides o f the neck shining green ;
two centre tail-feathers green, tipped with white, the next rufous at the base, black glossed with green near
the extremity, and tipped with white; the three outer ones on each side rich deep rufous, crossed near the
extremity by a band o f black, beyond which the tips are white ; wings purplish brown, the primaries and
secondaries margined at their tips with buify grey; lores and ear-coverts dark brown ; mark behind
the eye, stripe from the angle o f the bill and the chin buff; throat and breast rufous, becoming much paler
on the abdomen, and still paler on the under tail-coverts ; upper mandible blackish brown; under mandible
yellow, with a black t ip ; feet yellow or flesh-colour.
The figures are o f the size o f life. The plant is the Gesneria bulbosa, var. lateritia.