ADELOMYIA CH LOROS PI LA, Gould.
Green-spangded Humming-bird.
Adelomyia chlorospila, Gould, Ann. & Mag. N a t. Hist. (4) x. p. 4 5 2 (1 8 7 2 )B -W h ite ly , P. Z. S.
1 8 7 3 , p. 1 8 9 .— Sclater & Salvin, Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 8 7 (1 8 7 3 )H -M u lsan t,
H ist. N a t. Oiseaux-Mouches, iii. p. 1 2 8 (1877).— Elliot, Synopsis o f the Humming-
Birds, p. 1 8 2 (1878).— Tacz. Orn. Pérou, p. 3 6 0 (1884).
Mb. H enry W hitely discovered the adult male of this Humming-bird in Peru, though we believe that a
female bird was procured by Warszewicz during his travels m the Andes. Its nearest ally is A. inornata, but
it has a longer bill than that bird, and moreover has the throat spotted with green instead of being of a
bright blue. Mr. Elliot considers that it can only be distinguished from that species by “ the green spots
on the throat, which, however, are very small and indistinct,”
Dr. Taczanowski states that Warszewicz obtained this species in Peru at an altitude o f 9000 feet. Count
von Berlepsch’s collection, according to the same author, contains a specimen from Huasampilla, in Southern
Peru, procured at a similar elevation ; and Mr. Whitely has published the following note :r—
“ San Antonio, July 5th, 1 8 7 1—Shot in the open glade where the preceding specimens were obtained. I
took them at first for females, but could not quite understand that females would fight with such fury as I saw
these doing; so that, to satisfy my curiosity, I shot two o f them, and, upon opening the bodies for the purpose
o f seeing contents of stomach, found to my surprise that both were males. Plumage on back green ; throat
and breast light brown, with green spots on throat; tail-feathers tipped with light brown ; bill black: legs,
toes, claws, and eye black.”
The following is the original description published in the ‘ Annals ’ (/. c . ) :—
“ Crown and upper surface bronzy green, the feathers of the crown and npper tail-coverts greener than those
o f the back ; over and behind the eye and curving downwards on the sides of the neck a somewhat conspicuous
streak of huffy white; ear-coverts blackish brown ; throat, chest, and centre of the abdomen huffy white, the
feathers o f the throat punctated with glittering green ; flanks bronzy buff; under tail-coverts .he same, but
lighter; tail bronzy brown, all the feathers conspicuously tipped with fawn-colour; bill blackish brown, inclining
to yellow beneath ; legs and toes brown, the soles o f the latter inclining to yellow ; wings purplish brown.
“ Total length 31 inches, bill i f , wing 2tV, tail I f.”
[R. B. S.]