ERYTHRONOTA FELICIA,
ERYTHRONOTA FELICIA.
Felicia’s Erythronote.
Ornismya Felicia, Less, in Rev. Zool. 1840, p. 72.
--------------Felidae, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col., p. 7.
Saucerottia fe lid a , Bonap. in Rev. e t Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255.
Chlorestes Felidae, Reicbenb. Troch. Enum., p. 6, pi. 697. figs. 4 5 5 -6 5 7 .
Hemithylaca Felidae, Cab. e t Hein. Mus. Hein., p. 38, note.
Trochilus Emile.
T h e Erythronota Felicia is a species closely allied to the E. antique— so close, in fact, that it is extremely difficult
to distinguish it from that bird in some states of its plumage. The tail-feathers of the E. Felicia, however,
are more blue, and its upper surface is wholly green, except on the lower part of the back and on the upper
tail-coverts, which in some specimens are brown, and in others violaceous. Its under tail-coverts appear to
be subject to as much variation as those of its near ally ; for in some they are russet brown, in others violet,
in others, again, violet green, and I have seen a few in which the two colours are intermingled. Venezuela
appears to be the native country of this bird. One of my specimens, collected on the Orinoco, seems to be
somewhat immature; for all the tail-feathers are beautifully tipped with bright fiery purple, and the lower part
of the back and upper tail-coverts are buff; still I have no doubt of its being the same bird. When the
E. Felicia has perfected its moult, its body is clothed in a deep and pure green, which on exposure to light
and air changes to a brown or golden hue. I have not been able to detect any difference in the colouring
of the sexes, and I believe their discrimination will be impossible unless dissection of freshly killed examples
be resorted to.
Crowu of the head, all the upper surface, and wing-coverts green, a bronzy hue prevailing on the lower
part of the hack ; upper tail-coverts fiery purple in some specimens; all the under surface shining grass-
green; wings steel-blue; tail deep bluish black; under tail-coverts violet and green intermingled; upper
mandible black; under mandible fleshy-red, with a black tip ; feet black.
The three figures in the accompanying plate are of the size of life. The plant is the Oiontoglosmvx
hastilabinm, var. fuscatum.