(RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.)
+Hylocharis sapphirina+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 93; _Durnford,
Ibis_, 1877, p. 184 (Buenos Ayres); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 22
(Entrerios); _Elliot, Syn. Troch._ p. 236; _Gould, Mon. Troch._
v. pl. 342.
_Description._--Head, upper surface and under wing-coverts, flanks
and abdomen rich deep shining green; chin rufous chestnut; fore part
of the neck and breast rich sapphirine blue, with violet reflexions;
upper tail-coverts bronzy brown; tail-feathers chestnut, the two
centre ones with a bronzy hue, the remainder edged with blackish
brown; wings purple-brown; under tail-coverts light chestnut; bill
fleshy red, except at the point, which is black; feet brown: whole
length 3·5 inches, wing 2·2, tail 1·2. _Female_: upper surface green
as in the male, crown approaching to brown, throat pale rufous; only
a trace of the blue on the throat; under surface much paler, fading
into white on the centre of the abdomen; tail-feathers dark brown,
the lateral ones tipped with greyish, and the middle feathers
glossed with deep bronze.
_Hab._ Southern Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina.
The Red-throated Humming-bird is abundant in the woods along the Plata
river, and ranges, I believe, fifty or sixty miles south of Buenos Ayres
city. Outside of the littoral woods it is very rarely met with. The only
nest I have found was in my own garden, and was placed on a horizontal
branch. The female continued sitting on the nest, which contained two
eggs, even when I placed my hand almost touching it; the male bird in
the mean time exhibiting the greatest anxiety, and hovering so near as
almost to brush my face with its wings.