Thaumatias affinis

Southern Brazil; the districts of Novo Friburgo and Minas Geraes

Mr. Reeves of Rio de Janeiro has more than once called my attention to the Humming Bird figured on the accompanying Plate, which he considers to be quite distinct from, though closely allied to, Thaumatias brevirostris, and which bis hunters inform him arrives at Novo Friburgo at another season, has a different note, and places its nest in a different situation.

In connexion with this subject I may mention, that I have for many years past received specimens of a bird from Minas Geraes, with a uniform green breast, which I also considered to be different from the T. brevirostris, which generally has the throat and centre of the abdomen pure white, and this I now find is the same bird as that to which Mr. Reeves has directed my attention; and I have therefore given it a distinct specific appellation, that of afines. It is altogether more delicately formed than the T. brevrostris; has an almost uniform pale green tail, and a breast without the slightest appearance of white in the centre.

The nest I possess, sent by Mr. Reeves, is a much inferior structure to that of T. brevirostris; is composed of coarser materials; is much thinner, and nearly devoid of external decoration, having only a few shred-like bits of bark attached to its sides; the eggs are white, and two in number.

Like T. drevirostris, this species is not common near Rio de Janeiro, but is very abundant at Novo Friburgo. Its ery is not so loud as that of its near ally.

Head, all the upper surface, upper wing- and tail-coverts, abdomen and flanks greenish bronze; throat, breast and ear-coverts shining glaucous green; under tail-coverts greenish brown, fringed with white; tail, both above and beneath, bronzy green; wings purplish brown; upper mandible black; under mandible fleshy brown.

The figures are of the natural size.