CALOTHORAX MICRURUS, Gould.
Sliort-tailed Wood-Star.
Calothorajc micrurus, Gould in Proc. o f Zool. Soc., Nov. 22, 1853, reported in Athenaeum
Nov. 26, 1853.
T he members of the genus Calothoraæ comprise some of the most diminutive of the Humming Birds, and
the present species, as will be seen, is pre-eminently small. It differs from all its congeners in its extremely
short and almost hidden tail ; I might say entirely hidden tail, for the upper and under tail-poverts being
longer than the tail itself, it is only when the little creature is on the wing and the tail spread to its fullest
extent, that it can be seen. As in some other members of the genus, the feathers of which it is composed
are stiff and rigid, especially in the male.
The native country of this little bird is the interior of Peru, whence M. Warszewicz brought me examples
of both sexes. All the information he could give me respecting them was, that they were quick fliers
and loud hummers, and that they frequented the various species of Mimosa.
The Calothoraæ micrurus cannot be confounded with any species at present known, its characters being
peculiarly its own.
The male has all the upper surface mealy bronzy green ; centre of the throat of a glittering amethystine
hue ; chin, sides of the throat and under surface buff, deepest on the sides ; wings purplish brown ; tail
black ; under tail-coverts white ; bill black.
The female has the upper surface similar to that of the male ; the under surface buff, with a speck or two
of the amethystine hue on the throat ; and the lateral tail-feathers tipped with white.
The figures are of the natural size, on a species of Mimosa, common in Peru.