392 TROCHILIDA. 
j'". Rostrum brevius, rectius ; cauda rectricibus mediis abrupte acutis. 
et. Aut remex ale extimus aut caude rectrices laterales ad apicem filiformes. 
SELASPHORUS. 
Selasphorus, Swainson, Faun. Bor.-Am. ii. p. 496 ; Salv. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xvi. p. 391. 
This genus is closely allied to Trochilus, both having the bill in all their species 
shorter and straighter than in Calothorax. In Selasphorus either the outermost 
primary is reduced to a filiform end as in 8. platycercus, or the outer rectrices are so 
reduced, as in the other members of the genus. The throat of the males of all the species 
is glittering red. In one section of the genus the lateral gular feathers are elongated, 
in the others they are not so. 
Selasphorus contains eight species, all of which, except the Californian 8. alleni, 
occur within our limits. Of these, S. rufus, S. platycercus, and the little-known 
S. floresit pass beyond our northern frontier—the first named wintering only in Mexico. 
The other four species are all peculiar to the mountains of the southern section of our 
country. 
1. Selasphorus floresii. 
Selasphorus floresii, Gould, Mon. Troch. ii. t. 139 (Sept. 1861)*; de Oca, La Nat. ii. p. 101, 
t. — *; Salv. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xvi. p. 392°. 
Trochilus floresti, Bryant, Forest & Stream, xxvi. p. 426*; Chapman, Auk, 1888, p. 396’. 
Trochilus rubromitratus, Ridgw. Auk, 1891, p. 114°. 
“‘Capite summo et gula micanti-rubris violaceo tinctis preecipue in pileo et gule apicibus ; pectore et abdomine 
medio griseo-albis ; corpore supra et tectricibus supracaudalibus cupreo-viridibus, hypochondriis ejusdem 
coloris sed pallidioribus, caude rectricibus duabus mediis viridibus purpureo tinctis, rectricibus lateralibus 
in pogonio externo purpureis, in pogonio interno rufescenti-cervinis ; alis purpureo-brunneis : rostro nigro.” 
(Ex Gould.) 
Hab. Cauirornta 4°.— Mexico, Bolafios (Pores: 1). 
Very little is known of this bird, which for many years remained in obscurity, the 
only specimen seen having been described by Gould in 1861, in his well-known ‘ Mono- 
graph of the Trochilide’!. This specimen was obtained, it was said, at Bolafios, in 
the State of Jalisco, by Floresi, and sent to Loddiges, in whose collection it, we believe, 
still remains. In 1886 another specimen was secured in California, and recorded by 
Mr. Bryant + and subsequently by Mr. Chapman ®. Partly with a view to the redis- 
covery of this species, Mr. Richardson made two visits to Bolaiios, and though he 
secured good collections of birds on both occasions, no trace of Selasphorus floresit 
appeared. As the greatest uncertainty prevails regarding the localities of Floresi’s 
specimens, none of them being marked in any way, it is very possible that S. floresit 
may not be a Mexican bird at all, but belongs exclusively to California. 
