580 BULLETIN 50^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



F[lorisu(/a] flahcUifera Cabanis and Heine, Mus. Hein., iii, 1860, 29, footnote. 

 [Florisuga inellivora] vav. Jlabellifcra Mulsant, Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, n. s., xxii, 



1876, 212. 

 Florisuga sallei Boucard, The Hum. Bird, i, no. 3, Mar. 1, 1891, 18 ("South 



Mexico;" colL A. Boucard); Gen. Hum. Birds, 1895, 341. 

 Florisuga sallxi Hartert, Ibis, 1897, 434, in text (crit.; ="golden" variety of 



F. mellivora). 

 F[lorisuga] guianensis Boucard, Genera Hum. Bird, Sept., 1895, 340, in text 



(Demerara and Atapuroni R., Brit. Guiana; coll. A. Boucard). — Hartert, 



Ibis, 1897, 434, in text (crit.). 

 F[lorisuga] peruviana Boucard, Genera Hum. Bird, Sept., 1895, 340, in text 



(Pebas, e. Peru; coll. A. Boucard). — Hartert, Ibis, 1897, 434, in text 



(crit.). 

 Trochilus mclUvorus varius Audebert and Vieillot, Ois. Dores, i, 1801, 56, 



pi. 24 (Cayenne and Guiana; =immature male). 



Genus MICROCHERA Gould. 



Microchcra « Gould, Mon. Troch., pt. xvi, Sept., 1858 (vol. ii, 1861), text to pi. 116; 

 Introd. Troch., oct. ed., 1861, 82. (Type, Mellisuga albo-coronata Lawrence.) 



Very small TiochilidcTe (loii<ji;tli about 60-70 mm.) with the straight 

 bill shorter than head, wing about four times as long as exposed cul- 

 men, tail less than half as long as mng, with rectrices (except middle 

 pair) white basally, the adult males with general color plain dark 

 metallic purplish relieved by a pure white pileinn. 



Bill shorter than head, straight, rather slender, terete or slightly 

 compressed; culmen rounded except basally, where contracted into 

 a narrow ridge; tomia smooth; mandible with the usual lateral 

 median groove. Nasal operculum narrow, completely hidden by the 

 appressed frontal feathering, which extends forward considerably 

 beyond anterior end of nostrils, forming a single broad, rounded, or 

 truncate antia on base of culmen. Tarsus feathered, except on inner 

 side; inner and middle toes about equal in length, the outer very 

 slightly shorter. Wing about four times as long as exposed culmen, 

 the outermost primary longest, normal in shape. Tail a little less 

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

 broadly rounded at tip. 



Coloration. — Adult males with whole pileum satiny white; rest of 

 plumage dark metallic blackish purple or co})]:)ery ]:)urple, the cliin 

 and throat bronzy blackish (whole under parts, excej)t under tail- 

 coverts, blackish in one species) , the under tail-coverts and basal por- 

 rtion of tail (except middle rectrices) white; adidt females metallic 

 bronze-green above, including pileum, the middle rectrices more 

 bronzy, the under parts wholly grayish white, the tail as in adult 

 male, but lateral rectrices tipped with white. 



Range. — Highlands of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and vrestern Panama. 

 (Two species.) 



" '' {iiKpdc, parvus et z^P<^> vidua." 



