PETASOPHORA THALAS SINA
Mexican Yiolet-Ear.
Trochilus thalassinus, Swains. Syn. Birds o f Mexico in P h il. Mag., Ju n e 1827, p- 441.
Ornismya Anais, Less. Hist. N at. des Col., p. 104.—lb . Supp. des Ois. Mou. pi. 31
Ramphodon Anais, Less. Hist. Nat. des Troch., p. 148. pi. 561
Polytmus thalassinus, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 26.
Petasophora thalassinus, Gould in Proc. o f Zool. Soc., P a r t xv. p. 8.
Colibri thalassinus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 69, Colibri, sp. 2.
Trochilus Anais, J a rd . Nat. Lib. Humming Birds, vol. ii. p. 21
Mexico may claim this species as strictly its own; for although it is found in the States of Guatemala,
Costa Rica and Veragua, Mexico proper would seem to be its chief habitat, and it is certainly not found to
the southward of the Isthmus of Panama. It presents a singular combination of characters in its colouring,
uniting P. cyamtus with P. Amis, but it is quite distinct from both; the blue mark on the breast at all
times distinguishing it from the former, and the almost total absence of the blue mark on the chin, and its
smaller sine, from the latter. It will be seen that I have thought it likely that two of the birds figured by
Lesson, under the name of Amis, are identical with the present species, and indeed I can refer them to no
o th e r; at the same time his figures are by no means correct representations.
To Mr Swainson pertains the credit of characterizing this bird as distinct from all the other species of
the family then known, he having assigned to a specimen procured at Temiscaltipec the appellation of thdas-
sims in his “ Synopsis of the Birds of Mexico,” published in the "Philosophical Magazine as long since
as June 1827.
Head all the upper surface, wing-coverts and flanks yellow,sh green; a narrow line commencing on the
centre of the chin and extending under the eye and the ear-coverts purplish blue ; throat and chest tessel-
lated luminous green, as in the other species; centre of the abdomen deep blue; tad deep green, crossed
near the tip by a broad chalybeate band ; two central feathers slightly washed with bronze ; wings purplish
brown; bill dull black ; feet blackish brown. , • u i •,
The figures are of the natural size, on one of the beautiful Bignon.as of the country it inhabits.