336 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Genus THRENETES Gould, 



Threneteso- Gould, Mon. Troch., pt. iv, Oct., 1852, pi. 13; Introd. Troch., oct. 



ed., 1861, 40. (Type, Trochilus leucurus Linnteus.) 

 Dnophera b Heine, Joum. fiir Orn., 18G3, 175, in text. (Type, Trochilus antonise. 



Bourcier and Mulsant.) 



Medium-sized Trochilidse (length about 110-120 mm.) with the 

 long, rather stout, depressed and distinctly decurved bill less than 

 twice as long as head, tail more than half as long as wing, graduated, 

 with rectrices more or less subacuminate terminally, the rectrices 

 (except middle pair) white or buff basally. 



Bill rather stout, much broader than deep basally, distinctly 

 (though not conspicuously) decurved, less than twice as long as 

 head, the culmen distinctly ridged, at least basally, where con- 

 stricted and elevated into a rather conspicuous narrow ridge; man- 

 dible grooved laterally for basal half or more. Nostril narrow, slit- 

 like, overhung by a broad, tumid, mostly unfeathered operculum, but 

 frontal feathering extending, in a narrow line, nearly to its anterior 

 end; unfeathered inter-ramal space long and broad. Tarsus naked, 

 about as long as middle toe without claw, the latter about equal to 

 inner toe, the outer toe slightly shorter; hallux slightly shorter than 

 outer toe. Wing about twice as long (more or less) as exposed 

 culmen, the outermost primary longest. Tail longer than exposed 

 culmen, decidedly more than half as long as wing, graduated, with 

 rectrices distinctly cuneate or subaciuninate at tip or (in T. cervi- 

 nicauda) motleratcly rounded with rectrices broadly rounded ter- 

 minally. 



Coloration. — Rather <luli metallic bronze-green or bronze above, 

 the rectrices (except middle pair) abruptly white for basal half (more 

 or less), then blackish, the tip whitish, or (in T. cervinicauda) buff 

 with or without dusky at tip; chin and upper throat black or dusky, 

 lower throat buff or tawny, under parts of body dull grayish (chest 

 dull metallic green in T. cervinicauda). Sexes nearly ahke, but 

 females duller in color. 



Range. — Guatemala to Guiana and Bolivia, mostly in lowlands. 

 (Five species.) 



THRENETES RUCKERI (Bourcier). 



RTJCKER'S HERMIT. 



Adults (sexes alilce). — Above metallic bronze-green or greenish 

 bronze, duller on pileum, where feathers are narrowly margined with 

 dusk}^ and mth a dusky shaft-streak; upper tail-coverts margined 

 terminally with pale cinnamon or pale grayish buffy, this bordered 

 anteriorly by a narrow curved line of dusky; middle pair of rectrices 



o "dprjvTjTfjC, a mourner." 



b "Von dvocpepSc (dunkel, finster)." (Heine.) 



