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HELIODOXA JACULA, Gouid.
Green-crowned Brilliant.
Heliodoxa jacula, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xvii. 1849, p. 96.
Leadbeatera jacula, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 70, Leadbeatera, sp. 1.—Ib. Rev. et Mag.de
Zool. 1854, p. 251.—Reichenb. Aufz. der Col., p. 7.
In vain have I laboured to represent in the accompanying illustration the gorgeous metallic lustre pervading
nearly the whole o f the plumage o f this wonderful bird, which, when flying, must present the appearance
o f a moving mass o f brilliant light, almost too dazzling for the eye to dweil upo n ; so resplendent, indeed, is
it, th at no a rt can depict o r description convey its tru e portraiture.
The entire crown and all the under surface are alike luminous, but the green colouring of those parts is
relieved by a throat-mark of equally luminous blue; while the dull green, tinged with rust-red, of the
remainder of the plumage serves as a contrast, and to show off those parts which are metallic. In form this
bird is as graceful as its colouring is brilliant; its bill is moderately long, and well proportioned when
compared with the body ; the wing is rather ample, and the tail long and forked.
The native country of this fine bird is the Columbian Andes, specimens having been received from Santa
Fé de Bogota and Popayan; in all probability its range extends to Ecuador. It is by no means a common
species, and its discovery is of very recent occurrence.
The upper figure in the accompanying Plate represents a bird which I believe to be a female of this species;
this, however, is somewhat uncertain ; but I am confident that the females of H. jacula and H. Leadbeateri
are very similar, and that the bird I have figured*is the female of one or the other.
The male has the crown of the head, breast and abdomen resplendent metallic green ; in the centre of
the throat a crescentic mark of metallic blue; the metallic green of the crown running to a point towards
the occiput; back of the neck, back, and upper wing-coverts bronzy green; under wing-coverts and fianks
grass-green ; wings purplish brown; upper tail-coverts purplish brown with green reflexions; under tail-
coverts dark brown with green reflexions; tail considerably forked and of a bluish black; thighs and tarsi
white; feet blackish brown; bill black.
The female has the crown of the head and upper surface green ; throat shining metallic green, the white
bases of the feathers showing through and giving the throat a speckled appearance ; tail bluish black, tipped
with white; in some specimens the lores are buff, and a line of the same hue extends beneath the eye;
thighs white; under tail-coverts dull green ; bill black.
The figures are of the natural size. The beautiful Orchid is the Cattleya maxima, partly taken from
Curtis’s “ Botanical Magazine,” a work replete with interest, both for the accuracy of the drawings and the
scientific character of the letterpress.