EUCEPHALA SCAPULATA, Gould.
Black-bellied Sapphire.
Encephala sca pula ta , Gould, Intr. Trochil. 8 vo, p. 1 6 6 (1 8 6 1 ).— Sclater & Salv. Nomencl.
Av. Neo tr. p. 9 3 (1 8 7 5 ) .— Muls. H ist. N a t. Oiseaux-Mouches, ii. p. 3 4 (1875).
— Ellio t, Ibis, 1 8 7 4 , p. 8 8 ; id. Synopsis o f th e Humming-Birds, p. 2 2 9 (1 8 7 8 ).
— Eudes-Deslongchamps, Annuaire Mus. d’H ist. N a t. Caen, i. p. 4 5 6 (1 8 8 1 ).
H ylochans scapulata, Gray, H an d -list o f B irds, i. p. 1 4 8 , no. 1 9 1 4 (1869).
T he type of the present species still remains in my collection, and is apparently the only one yet known.
It belongs to the green-headed section o f the genus Eucephala, has the throat and chest blue, and is further
distinguished by having the under tail-coverts brown with blue centres, and the abdomen brownish black.
The locality o f Eucephala scapulata is supposed to be Cayenne; but I have no certain information on this
.point.
The following is a copy o f my original description :—
“ Crown of the head, back o f the neck, and lower part of the back very deep dull green; throat and
chest glittering greenish blue, imperceptibly passing into the dull brownish black o f the abdomen ; under
tail-coverts brown, with a wash o f dull blue in the centre of each feather, a mark of blue on each side at
the insertion o f the wing, forming an indistinct band across the back ; upper tail-coverts bronzy green ; tail
steely black, rather short for the size o f the bird, and slightly forked; wings deep purplish brown ; tarsi
clothed with intermingled greyish-white and brown feathers ; upper mandible black; basal half o f the under
mandible fleshy, the apical half black.” Total length 31 inches, bill i , wing 2iV, tail If.