THAUTRANI ,6 o uM .
THALURANIA HYPOCHLORA, Gould.
Citado Wood-Nymph.
Thalurania hypochlora, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1 8 7 0 , p. 8 0 4 .— Salvin & Elliot, Ibis, 1873,
p. 3 6 0 .— Elliot, Synopsis o f the Trochilidse, no. 1 02.— Mulsant, Hist. Nat.
Ois.-Mouches, tom. iii. p. 66.
T he discovery o f this fine Wood-Nymph is due to Mr. Buckley, who procured both sexes at Citado, in
Ecuador. Soon afterwards these specimens came into my possession, and, I am happy to say, are in fine
condition. If we examine the adult male it will be found that the crown of the head is a beautiful green
like the under surface, the uniform green colour o f which forms one of this bird’s chief characteristics.
The Brazilian bird, Thalurania glaucopis, somewhat resembles i t ; but that bird has the crown blue and not
green like T. hypochlora or many other Wood-Nymphs. It also has been compared to T. verticeps, and
others have been considered somewhat like it. It is in the green colour of the crown being the same as that
of the under surface that T. hypochlora differs from any other Wood-Nymph. As might be expected in a
bird so recently discovered, nothing has been recorded of its habits, which must be like those of its
near allies.
The colouring of the male may be thus described:—Three parts of the crown and entire underparts
o f the body a beautiful green; upper surface (that is, from the occiput to the tail-coverts) deep grass-
o-reen, with a beautiful patch of blue on the shoulder extending for a short distance onto each side of the
breast; under tail-coverts blackish blue, edged with white; bill black ; feet brownish black.
Female. All the upper surface grass-green; throat, abdomen, and under tail-coverts grey, darker and
iincliiiino- to green on the flanks; tail purplish black, slightly tipped with white, the white tipping being of
lesser extent than on the outer feathers. Size rather less than that o f male.
Total length o f male 4 inches, bill I, wing 21, tail If.
Habitat. Citado, in Ecuador.
The Plate represents two males and a female, o f the natural size.