| OCR Text |
Show 206 MR. o. S A L V I N O N T H E B I R D S O F V E R A G U A . [Mar. 24, rricauda is found only in the mountainous district round Cartago in Costa Rica, while O. calolcema embraces the range of both these species, and extends beyond into the district of Calobre in Veragua. Thus, if the females of these species closely resemble one another, we ought to find two varieties both around Cartago and Chiriqui, but only one in the vicinity of Calobre; and such to some extent appears to be the case. How far the females of O. leucaspis and O. cinereicauda differ, I have no means of showing ; but I think that the differences pointed out above define the females of O. leucaspis and O. calolcema. On this view the birds which have been called castaneiventris must be assigned as follows : - O. LEUCASPIS, Gould, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 312; Mon. Troch. iv. t. 264, Intr. p. 141. Trochilus castaneiventris, Gould, P. Z. S. 1850, p. 163. Anthocephala castaneiventris, Gould, Mon. Troch. iii. t. 203, Intr. p. 115. Metallura castaneiventris, Reich. V. de Chiriqui. According to the strict law of priority this bird should bear the name O. castaneiventris; but as this title applies only to the female, about which so much uncertainty exists, the more recent appellation leucaspis is much preferable. The different stages of plumage of young males of O. leucaspis are very interesting. In some the white throat is only partially developed, the rest of the gorget being dark bronzy black. In others a few blue feathers are scattered over the white, but are more frequently seen, even in more adult birds, round the edge of the throat. Others, again, have green feathers rather thickly dispersed over the white, while the feathers of the crown show every shade from dull green to the brilliant coronet of the adult bird. According to Arce's dissections, not one of these birds is a female ; and I believe he is right, and that the young males, just as in Eustephanus stokesi, never assume, not even in the earliest dress, the female garb. O. CINEREICAUDA, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N.Y. viii. p. 485, etix. p. 125. O. castaneiventris, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N . Y. ix. p. 124 (? partim). Mountains of Costa Rica (Carmiol). The female of this species probably resembles that of O. leucaspis very closely. I have not seen any specimens of it as yet. Without examining all the Costa-Rica skins which have been called O. castaneiventris, it would be impossible to say whether females of the two Costa-Rica species have been confounded to constitute a third species ; but I think it is not improbable. This point can only be settled by a reexamination of the skins in question. O. CALOLCEMA, Salv. P. Z. S. 1864, p. 584, 1867, p. 153; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 125. O. venusta, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii. p. 484. O. castaneiventris, Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 153; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 125 (?partim). V. de Cartago, Candelaria, Costa Rica; V. de Chiriqui, Cordillera de Tole, Calovevora, Cordillera del Chucu, Veragua. |
