'M i|
THALURANIA JELSKII.
J el ski’s Wood-Nymph.
Thalurania jelsk ii, Tacz. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1874, p. 1 3 8 .SM u lsa n t, Hist. Nat. O iseaux-Mouches,
iii. p. 7 0 (1877).— Elliot, Synopsis o f the Humming-Birds, p. 101 (1878).—
Eudes-Deslongchamps, Ann. Mus. d’H ist. N a t. de Caen, i. p. 3 2 0 (1880).—Tacz.
Om. du Pérou, i. p. 2 9 5 (1884).
J e lsk i’s Wood-Nymph was discovered by the well-known Polish traveller after whom the species is
named, at Soriano in Peru. Mr. Elliot writes concerning the present bird:—“ This is a diminutive
of T. nigrofasciata; and there is absolutely no difference between the two except in size. The rectrices
o f T. jelskii are narrow, but not more so than accords with its dimensions. I compared the type
with specimens of T. nigrofasciata, and could distinguish no difference, save that T. jelskii was a little
smaller.”
The Plate represents the adult male in three positions, and is drawn from a specimen lent to us by
Dr. Taczanowski.
[R. B. S.]
THALURANIA FURCATOIDE S, Gould.
Para Wood-Nymph.
Thalurania ju rca to id e s, Gould, Monogr. Troehil. ii. tex t to Th. fu r c a ta .—Id. Intr. Trochil.
8vo, p . 7 7 (1861).— Sclater & Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1 8 6 7 , p. 5 8 4 .— Salvin &
Elliot, Ibis, 1 8 7 3 , p. 3 5 7 .— Sclater & Salvin, Nom encl. Av. Neotr. p . 8 3 (1873).—!
Mulsant, H ist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, iii. p. 7 3 (1877).— Elliot, Synopsis of
the Humming-Birds, p. 1 0 0 (1878).— Eudes-Deslongchamps, Ann. Mus. d’Hist.
N a t. de Caen, i. p. 3 1 7 (1880).
Thalurania fo rjica ta , Cab. & Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. iii. p. 2 4 (I8 6 0 ).— Gould, Intr. Trochil.
p. 7 7 (1861).
Polytmus ju rca to id e s, Gray, Hand-Iist o f Birds, i. p. 1 30, no. 1655 (1869).
T he species of Thalurania from the Lower Amazons seems to differ constantly from T. furcata of
Cayenne in being smaller, in having the tail less forked, and the breast ultramarine bine instead of
purplish blue. We have seen some specimens from Para which bore out these differences! but whether
it is true T. furcata or T. Jurcatoides which was procured by Natterer at Barro do Rio Nigro, only an
examination o f specimens can decide {cf. Pelzeln, Orn. Bras. p. 30).
The type of Th. forfcata of Cabanis and Heine was sent from Berlin and examined by the late
Mr. Gould, but he did not identify it for certain with his T. jurcatoides. Messrs. Salvin and Elliot
(7. c.l have, however, no doubt as to its being synonymous,
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