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THAUMATIAS AFFINIS, Gould.
Allied Emerald.
M r. R e e v e s of Rio de Janeiro has more than once called my attention to the Humming Bird figured on
the accompanying Plate, which he considers to be quite distinct from, though closely allied to, Thaumatias
brevirostris, and which his hunters inform him arrives at Novo Friburgo at another season, has a different
note, and places its nest in a different situation. In connexion with this subject 1 may mention, that I
have for many years past received specimens of a bird from Minas Geraes, with an uniform green breast,
which I also considered to be different from the T. brevirostris, which generally has the throat and centre
of the abdomen pure white, and this I now find is the same bird as that to which Mr. Reeves has directed
my attention; and I have therefore given it a distinct specific appellation, that of affinis. It is altogether
more delicately formed than the T. brevirostris; has an almost uniform pale green tail, and a breast
without the slightest appearance of white in the centre.
The nest I possess, sent by Mr. Reeves, is a much inferior structure to that of T. brevirostris; is composed
of coarser materials; is much thinner, and nearly devoid of external decoration, having only a few shred-like
bits of bark attached to its sides; the eggs are white, and two in number.
Like T. brevirostris, this species is not common near Rio de Janeiro, but is very abundant at Novo
Friburgo. Its cry is not so loud as that of its near ally. '
Head, all the upper surface, upper wing- and tail-coverts, abdomen and flanks greenish-bronze; throat,
breast and ear-coverts shining glaucous-green; under tail-coverts greenish-brown, fringed with white; tail,
both above and beneath, bronzy-green; wings purplish-brown; upper mandible black; under mandible
fleshy-brown.
The figures are of the natural size.
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