Eriocnemis D’Orbignyi

Peru or Bolivia

A single specimen (apparently an adult male) of this bird graces the collection in the Museum of the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris.

This individual was, I believe, brought to Europe by M. D’Orbigny, and was procured either in Peru or Bolivia. The Eriocnemis D’Orbignyi differs from all the other species of the genus I have yet seen, in the possession of a blue frontlet; in size it is very similar to E. vestita, from which, however, as well as from all the others, it differs in several well-marked specific particulars.

The unique specimen contained in the Paris Museum serves to show how little acquainted we are with the Humming-Birds of the countries to the southward of Ecuador. That both Peru and Bolivia possess many species as yet unknown, there seems to be but little doubt.

The following is a description of this bird taken from the Paris specimen:—

Forehead violet blue; all the upper surface uniform bronzy grass-green; throat and under surface glittering golden green, inclining to blue on the centre of the throat and chest; tail steel or bluish black.

The figures are of the size of life. The plant is the Howardia Caracasensis.

References

• Trochilus D’Orbignyi, Bourc. et Muls. in Ann. Soc. Sci. de Lyon, 1846, p. 315.
• Phemonoë D’Orbignyi, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col., p. 9.
• Eriocnems D’Orbignyi, Reichenb. Troch. Enum., p. 6, pl. 741. fig. 4697.
• Eriocnemys orbignyi, Bonap. in Rey. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 252.
• Hylocharis D’Orbignyi, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 114, Hylocharis, sp. 10.