Grey Sickle-winged Humming Bird,
Male and Female.
Generic Character.—See Pl. 82.
Specific Character.
T. viridi-aureus, subtus canus; remigum primorum (in maribus) scapis dilatato-incurvatis; rectricium pennis 4 mediis viridibus apice nigro, lateralibus albis basi nigrâ; rostro vix recto.
Golden green, beneath grey; greater quills (in the male) with the shafts dilated and incurved. Four middle tail-feathers green tipped with black, lateral feathers white with a black base; bill nearly straight.
T. latipennis. Lath. In. Orn. 1. p. 310. Gen. Zool. 8. 1. 318.
T. campylopterus. Gm. Sys. Nat. 499. n. 65.
L'O. mouche à larges tuyaux. Vieillot Ois. D'or. p. 21. p. 59.
Broad-shafted H. Bird. Lath. Syn. v. 2. p. 765. Gen. Zool. 8. 318.
The opinion I expressed on the unusual formation of the wings in two species of Humming-birds, figured at pl. 83 and 107, appears to receive the fullest confirmation from the birds here represented. One of these (pl. 131) is clearly the T. latipennis, or Broad-shafted Humming-bird of authors; while the other presents not the slightest difference except in the shafts of the quills, which, instead of being thickened and dilated, are of the ordinary size.
Not having myself dissected these birds, I cannot decidedly say they are male and female; but I think no reasonable doubt can remain that such is the fact, and that these singular quill-feathers are characteristic only of the male sex.