(SAPPHO HUMMING-BIRD.)
Sparganura sappho, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 86; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 615 (Catamarca). Cometes sparganurus, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 449 (Mendoza, Catamarca, Tucuman); Gould, Mon. Troch. iii. pl. 174. Sappho sparganura, Elliot, Syn. Troch. p. 154; Salvin, Ibis, 1880, p. 360 (Tucuman, Salta).
Description.—Head, upper back, wing-coverts, and under surface shining bronze-green; lower back and upper tail-coverts shining crimson; tail dark brown at base, remaining part fiery orange, tipped with black; basal half of outer web of external rectrices pale brown; wings purplish brown; under tail-coverts light brown with purplish centres; bill and feet black: whole length 6·2 inches, wing 2·5, tail 4·1. Female: crown and back greenish brown; throat and sides of face buffy white, spotted with green; rest of under surface whitish, with large spots of green on the flanks; rump and upper tail-coverts shining crimson; central rectrices crimson, lateral rectrices brownish glossed with crimson; outer web of external rectrix white; bill and feet black.
Hab. Bolivia and North-western Argentina.
Dr. Burmeister tells us that the Sappho Humming-bird is not uncommon in Mendoza, Catamarca, and Tucuman, but keeps to the mountains, and does not descend on to the plains. In the neighbourhood of Mendoza it specially affects the flowers of Loranthus cuneifolius; at Tucuman Dr. Burmeister found it also on the orange-blossoms.
Durnford obtained specimens of this species at Tucuman and Salta in the month of June.
White (P. Z. S. 1882, p. 615) gives us the following notes on its habits:—
“I have met with these Humming-birds scattered, although somewhat sparsely, over the upper provinces of the Republic, feeding principally upon Nicotiana glauca, the Quichua name for which is ‘palan-palan.’ They follow it southwards as it flowers, even as far as Cordoba; but their true habitat is the Andean region. In Quichua, Humming-birds generally are called ‘Tuminicos.’ When these birds are poised in front of a flower with wings and tail expanded in the full sunshine, they offer the most brilliant feathery picture imaginable; and as they dart off their flight is so speedy that the eye cannot follow them.”