LOPHORNIS MAGNIFICUS.
Frilled Coquette.
Ti'ochilm magnificus, Yieill. 2nde Edit, du Nouv. Diet. d’Hist. Nat., tom. vii. p. 367, et torn.
xxiii. p. 428. pl. G 36. fig. 3.— Ib. Ency. Méth. Om., part ii. p. 559.—Ib. Ois.
dor., tom. iii. pl. S S T em m ., Pl. Col. 229. fig. 2.—Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming
Birds, vol. i. pp. 119 & 121. pis. 19 & 20.— Pr. Max. Beitr. zur Nat. von Bras.,
p. 79.
-------------décoras, Licht. Verz. der Doubl., p. 14.
Colibri helio8, Spix, Av. Sp. Nov. Bras., tom. i. p. 81. tab. lxxxii. fig. 2.
Omismya magnified, Less. Man. d’Om., tom. ii. p. 80.
— strumaria, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. mou., pp. xl & 143. pis. 42 & 43.
Lophornis strumana, Less. Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Genre Trochilus, p. xli.— Ib. Traité
d’Om., p. 285.
Mellisuga magnified, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 113, Mellisuga, sp. 88.
Lophornis magnifiais, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 83, Lophornis, sp. 2.—Ib. Rev. et Mag. de
Zool. 1854, p. 257.
Bellatrix magnifica, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 12.
T he discovery of this beautiful little species of Lophornis is said to have been made by M. De Lalaude, the
celebrated French traveller, at the period of whose visit to Brazil and for some time afterwards the bird
was very rarely to be met with in our collections; such, however, is no longer the case, for its proper
habitat having been ascertained, it is killed and skinned by the negroes, and the skins, bearing a certain
market value, are sent to this country and to France in great numbers. Its native country is Brazil;
and the localities in which it appears to be most abundant are the provinces of Rio de Janeiro and Minas
Geraes. M. De Lalande procured examples in the forests bordering the river Paraiba, to the north of Rio
de Janeiro; and MM. Quoy and Gaimard obtained others among the moderately dense vegetation bordering
the torrents at the foot of the Organ Mountains. The notes transmitted to me by Mr. Reeves of Rio
de Janeiro merely mention that it inhabits that province and Minas Geraes, but unfortunately give no
account of its habits.
The nest is a small round cup-shaped structure, composed of a rufous-coloured fungus-like substance,
coated externally with cobwebs and fine vegetable fibres, and decorated with small pieces of lichens.
Like the other members of the genus, this species has the sides of the neck adorned with beautiful snowy-
white plumelets ; but these plumelets differ in form, being shorter and broader, and are moreover crossed
by a band of luminous green at the extremity, instead of having a spot of that colour at the tip.
The same difference which exists between the sexes of the other species also occurs with the present, the
female being destitute of the conspicuous decorations of the male.
The male has a broad band across the forehead, face and throat luminous green; head and crest dark
chestnut-red; upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy-green; wings purplish-brown; a hand of white across
the lower part of the back; upper tail-coverts bronzy-brown; central tail-feathers bronzy-green; lateral
ones deep chestnut-red, bordered with brownish-black; on each side the neck a series of broad white
feathers advancing forward and meeting immediately beneath the green gorget; each of those on the sides
of the neck crossed at the tip with a band of luminous green ; under surface bronzy-green ; bill flesh-red
at the base, deepening into black at the point.;
The female has the head and upper surface bronzy-green; a narrow band of white across the lower part
of the back ; upper tail-coverts tipped with bronzy-red; tail deep fawn-colour, crossed towards the extremity
by a broad dusky band; throat rufous; under surface bronzy-green.
The Plate represents two males and a female with the nest, all of the natural size.