(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."