AM AI aI A y u c a i
AMAZILIA YUCATANENSIS.
Yucatan Amazili.
T roc iüm Yucutanenm, Cabot in P ro c . o fB o st. Soc. o fN a t. H js t, Nov. 19, 1845.
¡ ■ 8 m m to Dr. Cabot, of Boston, North America, for the loan of the type specimen of his
lYocMw, Yucaianensis, a bird which differs from every other species that has come nnder my notice. It
is perhaps most nearly allied to the Amazilia cenimeentris, but differs in the truncate form of the green
colouring of the throat, which in that bird extends down each flank. Dr. Cabot sent at the same time
another specimen, which he considered to be the female; and this may possibly be the case; but I suspect
that it will prove to be another species, the A. cinnamomea (A. coralHrostris of my work). The
upper figure in the accompanying plate is an exact representation of this specimen; and it remains
for future research to determine whether my surmise be correct or not. In all probability the A. cinnamomea
flies in Yucatan, as it is very common in the neighbouring countries of Honduras and Guatemala.
The following is Dr. Cabot’s description and brief account of this species, published in the • Proceedings
of the Boston Society of Natural History,’ to which, I learn, he has nothing to add; for, in a letter dated
April 30, 1859, he says, “ It gives me great pleasure to aid you as far as I am able in your most interesting
and beautiful work; but I regret exceedingly to say that it is a long time since my observations were made,
and that my notes were unfortunately lost overboard while coasting along the shore of Yucatan in a canoe,
I regret also that I have no duplicate of the male to present to you,”
“ Trochilus Yucaianensis. Length 4 inches. Bill f of an inch. First primary longest; primaries curved,
broadest at their tips ; tail, somewhat forked, rather more than I7 inch long, consists of ten feathers;
bill light yellowish at base and along centre of mandibles, dark horn-colour at tip and halfway along sides;
male brilliant shining emerald on chin, throat, and upper part of breast; head, upper part of neck, and
back dull golden green with some metallic reflexions; lower part of breast, belly, under tail-coverts,
central and upper part of tail-feathers light bay; tips and both sides of central tail-feathers and outer side
of lateral tail-feathers dark golden green with metallic reflexions ; vent white; female nearly the same as
male, but rufous instead of bright emerald on chin, neck, &c., and less white about vent.
“ This is the most common Humming-Bird found in Yucatan. It was seen in numbers about the acacias
which grew upon the tops of the ruined buildings, where the specimens from which the above description
was taken were procured.”
The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Passiflora Meduscea.