OREOTROCHILUS LEUCOPLEURUS, Gouid.
White-sided Hill-star.
Oreotrochilus leucopleurus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XV. 1847, p. 10. Gray and
Mitch. Gen. of Birds, Oreotrochilus, sp. 2.
H ither to this species has only been found in Chili, where it inhabits the sheltered valleys among the Andes,
just below the line of perpetual congelation, and where it takes the place in those more Southern regions of
the Oreotrochilus Estell<s of Bolivia. Mr. Bridges, from wliom I have received numerous specimens, pro-
cured on the Andes of Aconcagua, states that the bird was not uncominon near the Ojos de Agua, on the
road towards Mendoza, at an elevation of 10,000 feet.
It is a smaller bird in all its admeasurements than Oreotrochilus Estellce, and may be distinguished from
that species by the bluish black mark down the centre of the abdomen ; the outer tail-feathers also differ
in being narrower, more rigid, aud of a more incurved form ; in other respects the two birds are very
similar. I have some specimens with the feathers of the throat of a dull brown tipped with blue, and
the abdomen clouded with dull greyish brown, while the black mark on the centre of the abdomen is as
conspicuous as in the adult; in all probability these are young males of the year. In the Loddigesian
collection there are fine examples of this bird, as well as a beautiful nest, brought direct from Chili by the
late Dr. Miller: I have been kindly permitted to figure this nest, which appears to have been attached by
means of cobwebs to the side of a rock or a large stone.; it is larger in proportion to the size of the bird
than is usually the case among the Trocliilidce, and is a dense and warm structure composed of moss, tine
vegetable substances and feathers.
The male has the head, all the upper surface and wings greyish olive-brown, passing into dull coppery
green on the upper tail-coverts; two centre tail-feathers and the outer one on each side, which has an inward
curvature, green with bronze reflexions, the remainder narrowly edged on the external webs with brown;
throat rich luminous grass-green, bounded below with a crescentic band of deep velvety black with blue
reflexions ; flanks olive-brown ; breast and sides of the abdomen white; down the centre of the abdomen
a mark of black with steel-blue reflexions; under tail-coverts olive; tarsi clothed with brown feathers;
bill and feet brownish black ; irides blackish brown.
Total length, 5 inches; bill, 1-jV; wing, 2 f ; tail, 2^; tarsus, tb-*
The female has the upper surface the same as the male, the two centre tail-feathers brownish green, the
remainder white, with a band of green across the centre; the outer feather on each side, which is much
shorter than the rest, and not so pointed nor so inwardly curved as in the male, is of a browner hue ; throat
white, spangled with spots of brown obscurely tinted with blue; chest and abdomen white, the brown pre-
dominating on the flanks.
Total length, 4+ inches ; bill, ; wing, 2f-; tail, 2 ; tarsus, iV.
The figures represent two adult males, a young male, a female, and a nest, all of the natural size.