AGYRTRIA TACZANOWSKII.
Taczanowski’s Emerald.
Thauma siw taczanowskii, Sclater, Proe. Zool. Soc. 1 8 7 9 , p. 1 4 6 . —Tacz. tom. cit. p. 2 3 9 .
Id . P ro c . Zool. Soc. 1 8 8 0 , p. 2 0 8 .
Leucolia taczanowskii, Eudes-Deslongchamps, Cat. Peser. Trochil. i. p. 3 0 1 .
Thaumatias taczanowskii, Tacz. Orn. Pérou, i. p. 4 0 5 (1884);,
T h is species was described by Dr. Sclater from a specimen procured by Stolzmaim at Guajango, m Peru.
It is allied to Agyrtria viridiceps of Gould, but bas a much stronger bill and an even tail, and the spots on the
throat are much smaller. Mr. Stolzmann met with the species both at Guajango and Calacate. At the latter
place, he writes, it is common, visiting the male flowers of the banana trees. It affects the same places as
Cyanmyia cyamcollis. When perching on the dry leaves o f the bananas Matters its song, composed of
couplets in four tones, three or four times repeated in succession. Often when g have been working in front
o f my door, one o f these Humming-birds has come to catch the mosquitoes, which are very abundant in that
locality As I stood still, the bird came so close to me that I could feel the wind on my face, produced
by the vibration o f its wing. I thus had the opportunity of observing the manner in which ,t seised the
mosquitoes, and I am astonished to see that Burmeister denies this habit in the Humm.ng-b.rds
■■ At Guajango, in the valley of the Maraiion, this species is rare, but I have seen it several times about
H B H f l l ^ t|,at a sPecimen ^ “ Dr' Eaim°ndi’s B B S fmmpaucai, c°u"t von Berlepsch believes that the species ought to he separated genetically, as its form d.ffers widely
that o f the members of the genus Agyrtria.
The following is a translation of Dr. Sclater’s j jgalB original description : green, with a coppery gloss on .behead; the feathers ashy underneath; wings dusky,
tbe coverts like .mf back; the tail
: st l t t l ^ T e ^ e c 1 I f l y ' o n 0«he vent; the 'whole o f the throat covered with tiny heart-shaped spots
of shining green ; the bill strong and slightly curved,” [Ri b . S.]