884 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Genus HYLOCHARIS Boie. 



Hylocharis Boie, Isis, 1831, 546. (Type, Trochilus saphirinus Gmelin.) 

 Sapphironia Bonaparte, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., vi (2), May, 1854, 256. (Type, 

 as fixed by Gray, 1855, Trochilus sapphirinus Gmelin.) 



Rather small Trochilidfe (length about 80-100 mm.) with bill longer 

 than head, broad and depressed basally, the broad nasal opercuh very 

 tiiraid and completely naked, frontal feathering forming a transverse 

 line across base of forehead, tail slightly rounded or double-rounded, 

 no black or white markings on head,'^ and tail uniform bright metallic 

 golden, bronze, coppery, or blue-black. 



Bill decidedly longer than head, depressed, broad basally, very 

 slightly decurved; culmen broadly rounded, but contracted into a 

 narrow ridge basally; tomia smooth; a more or less distinct narrow 

 median groove along sides of mandible, and more or less distinct 

 indication of a similar groove on maxilla. Nasal operculum broad, 

 tumid, completely nude, the frontal feathering forming a transverse 

 line across base of forehead or (in H. grayi) forming two very slight 

 antiee. Tarsus feathered for upper portion, at least in front; middle 

 and inner toes about equal in length, the outer slightly shorter; 

 hallux shorter than outer toe. Wing nearly three times as long as 

 exposed culmen, the outermost primary longest. Tail more than 

 half as long as wing, slightly rounded or double-rounded, the rectrices 

 broad, with rounded tip. 



Coloration. — Above metallic green or bronze-green (sometimes 

 with head or at least forehead blue or violet) , the tail very bright 

 metallic golden, golden-green, bronze, or dark chestnut with middle 

 rectrices and upper coverts copper bronze, or else uniform blue- 

 black; adult males with under parts of body metallic green or bronze, 

 the throat bronze, green, "TdIuc, or violet, the chin sometimes rufous. 

 Sexes different (except in H. grayi), the female with under parts 

 mostly dull whitish medially. 



Range. — Guatemala to Guiana, Paraguay, northern Argentina, 

 Bolivia, and eastern Peru. (About ten species and subspecies, but 

 only one in Middle America.) 



HYLOCHARIS ELICLS (Bourcier and Mulsant). 



ELICIA'S GOLDEN-TAIL. 



Adult male. — Pileum, hindneck, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts 

 metallic green (varying from nearly pure green to more or less golden 

 green), passing, through a more golden or bronzy hue on rump, into 

 bright golden or coppery bronze on upper tail-coverts; tail brilliant 

 golden bronze, more or less tinged with golden green in certain lights, 



a The females of some species have the chin and throat .intermixed with white. 



