BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 357 



Large Trocliilidse (length about 1 15-140 mm.) with bill much longer 

 than head, straight to decidedly decurved; tail two-thirds to three- 

 fourths as long as \ving, slightly rounded; very weak feet; and shafts 

 of outer primaries thickened basally (in adult males excessively so). 



Bill slightly longer than head (in C. hyperi/thrus) to one and a half 

 times as long, straight (C. liyperytlirus , C. rufiis, C. largipennis, and 

 C. ohscurus) to decidedly decurved (C. ensiiJennis, C. hemileucurus, 

 C. lazulus, and C. villavicencio) ; tomia smooth; both mandible and 

 maxilla with a distinct lateral groove, the former on basal half, mainly. 

 Nostril narrow, slit-like, overhung by a broad, convex, tumid, mostly 

 unfeathered membrane, but frontal feathering reaching to or beyond 

 middle of upper portion. Tarsus densely feathered, slender, about as 

 long as anterior toes; middle and inner toes equal in length, the inner 

 very slightly shorter; hallux decidedly shorter than outer toe; middle 

 toe united to outer for whole of its basal phalanx, to inner toe for 

 less that distance; all the toes weak and slender, and claws rela- 

 tively small. Wing about three times as long as exposed culmen, the 

 outermost primary longest; three outer primaries with shafts more 

 or less thickened basally, especially in adult males, in which the shaft 

 of the outermost is greatly enlarged and strongly bowed toward 

 middle portion. Tail two-thirds to three-fourths as long as ■wing, 

 slightly rounded, the rectrices very broad, rounded terminally (in 

 O. ohscu7'us tapering and ])ointed terminally). 



Coloration. — a. Saepiopterus : Metallic green or green and violet 

 above, the tail black, with lateral rectrices extensively white termi- 

 nally, or (in 0. lazulus) chestnut tipped with green ; adidt males with 

 under parts metallic blue or violet, or green with violet throat; adult 

 females witli under parts gray mixed with green on sides and blue on 

 throat, b. Campylopterus : Above metallic bronze green, including 

 middle rectrices, the outer rectrices blackish with broad white tips; 

 beneath wholly light gray; sexes alike. (C. largipennis, C. ohscurus.) 

 c. Platystylopterus : Al)ove metallic bronze green, the middle rec- 

 trices greenish bronze or golden bronze; other rectrices (at least in 

 part) light cinnamon-rufous; under ])arts wholly light cinnamon- 

 rufous. Sexes alike, or very nearl}^ so. 



Although for ])resent purposes it may bo as well to retain the genus 

 Campyloi^teims with its generally recognized limits I am convinced 

 that the genus as so recognized is not a natural group, but a combina- 

 tion of at least two and probably three generic groups, as indicated in 

 the paragraph describing coloration. The sj)ecies with uniform gray 

 under parts (in both sexes) closely resemble those of the genus Pampa 

 in coloration (except for the absence of a blue or violet frontal patch), 

 and the relationship is still further indicated by the form of the rec- 

 trices in C. ohscurus, for, while the tail is slightly rounded (not gradu- 



