BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 399 



[Eupheriisa] poliocerca ScLATERand Salvin, Nom. Av. Neotr., 1873, 92. — Sharpe, 



Hand-list, ii, 1900, 116. 

 E[upherusa] poliocerca Hartert, Das Tierreich, Troch., 1900, 89 (monogr.). 

 [Euphrerusa] poliocerca Mulsant, Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, xxii, 1876, 205. 



Genus CALLIPHARUS Elliot. 



Clotho (not of Faiijas, 1808, nor Walckenaer, 1809, nor Gray, 1840) Mulsant, Ann. 



Soc. Linn. Lyon, n. s., xxii, 187G, 205 (Cat. Ois.-Mouch., 1875, 9). (Type, 



Eupherusa nigriventris Lawrence.) 

 Callipharus Elliot, Classif. and Synop. Troch., 1879, 211. (Type, Eupherusa 



nigriventris Lawrence.) 



Small TrochilidiG (length about 75-78 mm.) related to Eupherusa, 

 but tail more strongly roundetl, the adult male with head and under 

 parts velvety black. 



Bill about as long as head, straight, terete, but rather broad and 

 depressed basally; culmeii rounded but basally (between nasal 

 operculi) contracted into a distinct ridge; terminal portion of max- 

 illary tomium minutely serrate; mandible with a distinct lateral median 

 groove or sulcus. Nasal operculum very broad and tumid, mostly 

 unfeathered, only the upper-posterior portion covered by frontal 

 feathermg, which, anteriorly, forms a convex line across base of fore- 

 head. Tarsus densely clothed with short feathers; middle toe 

 apparently very slightly longer than both lateral toes, the hallux 

 shorter than the latter. Wing three times as long -as culmen, or a 

 little more, the outermost primary longest. Tail more than half as 

 long as wing, rounded, the rec trices moderately broad, rather soft. 



Coloration. — Hindneck, back, scapulars, wing-coverts, and rump 

 metallic bronze-green or greenish bronze; secondaries cinnamon- 

 rufous or chestnut, tipped with dusky (as in Eupherusa) ; lateral rec- 

 trices white. Adult male with head and under parts (except under 

 tail-coverts) uniform velvety black, the under tail-coverts white; 

 adult female with under parts pale gray, the pileum dusky, faintly 

 glossed with greenish. 



Range. — Costa Rica and western Panama. (Monotypic.) 



Although referred to Elvira by Dr. Hartert, the smgle species 

 constitutmg the genus CaUipliarus differs in the presence of minute 

 serrations to the terminal portion of the maxillary tomium, rufous 

 secondaries, and rounded tail, in all of which characters it agrees 

 with Eupherusa and not with Elvira. Were it not for the strikingly 

 different and quite unique coloration of the adult male, involving 

 structural differences in the feathers of the pileum and under parts 

 (which are beautifully blended and velvety instead of harsh and con- 

 spicuously imbricated and squamate), and the decidedly more rounded 

 tail, it might well be merged with Eupherusa. Considering all its pe- 

 culiarities, I feel sure that Callipharus should stand alone in any 

 arrangement of the family which does not involve a very great 

 reduction in the number of genera. 



