406 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Pyrrhophaena a Cabanis and Heine, Mus. Hein., iii, March, 1860, 35. (Type, 



Orthorhynchus amazilia Lesson.) 

 Erannab Heine, Journ. fiir Orn., xi, May, 1863, 187. (Type, Ornismya cinna- 



momea Lesson.) 

 Myletes Mulsant and Verreaux, Hist. Nat. Ois.-Mouch., i, livr. 4, 1874, 284. 



(Type, Trochilus yucatanensis Cabot.) 

 Cyanoinyia Bonaparte, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., May, 1854, 254. (Type, as desig- 

 nated by Gray, 1855, '^Trochilus qiuidricolor Vieillot," i. e., T. verticalis 



Lichtenstein.) 

 Uranomitra Reichenbach, Journ. fiir Orn., 1853, Extraheft, 1854, Aufz. der 



Colibr., 10. (Type, as fixed by Gray, 1855, " Trochilus quadricolor Vieillot," 



i. e., T. verticalis Lichtenstein.) 



Medium-sized Trocliilidse (length about 95-110 mm.), with the 

 straight or very faintly decurved stout bill much broader than deep, 

 longer than head, distinctly widened basally; nasal operculum tliick 

 or tumid, with more than anterior half exposed; tail nearly truncated 

 to slightly double-rounded or emarginate, and tail rufous-chestnut, 

 olive-bronzy, or dull greenish bronze, darker subterminally. 



Bill decidedly longer than head (more than one-third but much 

 less than one-half as long as wing), straight or very faintly decurved, 

 stout, much broader than deep, abruptly widened basally; nasal 

 operculum rather thick or tumid, exposed for much the greater part; 

 wing normal; tail between one-half and two-thirds as long as wing, 

 nearly truncate, slightly double-rounded, or emarginate; tarsi 

 feathered; outer toe nearly as long as middle toe, the inner decidedly 

 shorter. 



Coloration. — Above metallic green, bronze-green, or bronzy, the 

 pileum sometimes violet-blue; tail rufous-chestnut, olive-bronzy, or 

 dark bronze-greenish; under parts varying from mostly green, with 

 cinnamon- rufous or white abdomen to wholly cinnamon-rufous or 

 entirely white. Sexes alike. 



Range. — Northern Mexico to Peru. (Twenty- three species.) 



I am not able to give a better diagnosis of tliis genus for the reason 

 that its limits are very indefinite, and its relations to Agyrtria and 

 Saucerottia uncertain. Either the three so-called genera must be 

 combined into one, or each of them must be further restricted and a 

 considerable number of genera recognized before their definition can 

 be made more precise. Even as here restricted I have been obliged 

 to place in Amizilis not only certain species formerly referred to 

 Uranomitra Reichenbach (e. g. V. violiceps and U. viridifrons) , in tliis 

 following Hartert, but also two species of Agyrtria (A. tephrocepJiala 

 and A. maculicauda), wliich, so far as I am able to see, wliile agreeing 

 with true Agyrtria in coloration, at the same time agree minutely in 

 shape of the bill and nasal operculi with typical Amizilis. In shorty 



a "Von Ttuppog (rothlich) nnd (jiaivco (leuchten, glanzen)." (Cabanis and Heine.) 

 b "Von ipawoc (lieblich, anmuthig) . " (Heine.) 



