THAUMATIAS ALB I VENT RI S.
White-bellied Emerald.
Trochilus tephrocephalus, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxiii. p. 430.—lb . Ency. Méth.
Om., p a rt ii. p. 560.—lb . Traité d’Orn., p. 283.
Omismya tephrocephalus, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 182. pl. 62.
-------------albiventris, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 209. pl. 76.—lb . Les Troch., p. 94.
pi. 32.—lb . Traité d ’Ora., p. 283.
Polytmus thaumatias, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 40.
Coeliyena tephrocephala, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 7.—lb . Troch. Enumer., p. 3.
dclxxxvii. fig. 4518.
Aryytria albiventi'is, Reichenb. Troch. enumer., p. 7. pi. d c c l v i i . figs. 4744, 4745.
Thaumatias albiventi'is, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 78, Thaumatias, sp. 1.
Thaumantias albiventi'is, Bonap. Rev. e t Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255.
T his well-marked species differs from all the other members of its genus in being of a larger size than
either of them, and in having a greater amount of white on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. The two
sexes are so much alike in outward appearance that I have looked in vain for any decided difference by
which they may be distinguished; I observe, however, that the female, as is the case with most of the
Humming Birds, is somewhat smaller and less pure in her colouring.
M. Bourcier informs me that this bird inhabits Santa Catharina, in Brazil, and remarks that it bears a
great resemblance to the Thaumatias Linneei, but differs from that species in the larger size of its body, and
in the abdomen being always white in the adult.
M. Bourcier also tells me, that the specimen from which Vieillot took his description of tephrocephalus is
still in the museum at Paris, but in a very bad state, with the feathers of the head much worn and faded,
and presenting a grey appearance, which doubtless suggested the appellation Vieillot assigned to it, and
which, being intended to express a feature that does not exist, must give place to that of albiventris, applied
to it by M. Lesson.
Besides Santa Catharina, the northern parts of Brazil, and the Delta of the Amazon, near its embouchure,
and the neighbouring country are frequented by this bird.
Head, all the upper surface, wing- and tail-coverts dark green; wings purplish-brown ; two central tail-
feathers and the basal portion of the remainder dull green, the extent of which decreases as they recede
from the centre, middle portion of the lateral feathers Hackish-brown 5 the tips brownish-grey, increasing
in extent as the feathers recede from the centre ; throat and chest shining grass-green; flanks dull green;
abdomen and under tail-coverts white.
The figures represent the two sexes of the size of life. The plant is copied from a drawing sent to me
by Mr. Reeves.