584 BULI>ETTN 50, UNITED STATES NATIOjSTAL MUSEUM. 



slightly shorter than middle toe. Wing decidedly more than three 

 times as long as exposed culmen, the outermost primary longest, 

 normal in shape. Tail about half as long as wing, in the adult male 

 emarginated, in adult female and young rounded, the rectrices (in 

 both sexes) rounded at tip. 



Coloration. — Above rather dark metallic green or bronze green, the 

 tail blackish; beneath dull whitish or grayish, the under parts of body, 

 especially laterally somewhat dusky; adult males without white on 

 rectrices, females and young with lateral rectrices tipped with white. 



Range. — Islands of Haiti and Jamaica, Greater Antilles. (Two 

 species.) 



KEY TO THE 8PECIES OP MELLTSUOA. 



a. Tail deeply emarginate, the lateral rectrices wholly black. (Adult males.) 



h. Much paler, the chest and median ijortion of breast and abdomen (broadly) 

 white or grayish white, the upper parts, including rump and upper tail-coverts, 

 clear metallic green; wing, 35.5-38 (36.5); tail, 18-19.5 (18.7), middle rectrices, 



14-15.5 (15). (Jamaica.) Mellisuga minima, adult male (p. 584). 



bb. Much darker, the chest and median line of breast and abdomen (narrowly) 

 light gray, the upper parts dark and dull metallic green, passing into blackish 

 on rump and upper tail-coverts; wing, 34-36.5 (35.1); tail, 16.5-19 (17.9), 

 middle rectrices, 12-14 (12.8). (Haiti.) 



Mellisuga catharinse, adult male (p. 58G). 

 aa. Tail rounded or double-rounded, the lateral rectrices broadly tipped with white. 

 (Adult females and young males.) 

 b. Lighter or more bronzy green above, clearer white beneath; wing, 36-39 (37.8); 

 tail, 19-21 (19.9); exposed ciilmen, 10-11.5 (11). 



Mellisuga minima, adult female (p. 585). 

 bh. Darker or more bluisli green above, more grayish white or pale gray below; 

 wing, 36-40 (37.1); tail, 18.5-21 (19.5); exposed culmen, 10-11.5 (10.8). 



Mellisuga catharinse, adult female (p. 586). 



MELLISUGA MINIMA (Linnaeus). 



VERVAIN HUMMING BIRD. 



Adult male. — Above rather dull metallic bronze-green or greenish 

 bronze, usuall}^ more or less darker or duller on pileum; middle ])air 

 of rectrices metallic bronze-green or greenish bronze, darker (some- 

 times blackish) subterminally; rest of tail black, faintly glossed with 

 bluish or greenish; remiges dusky, faintly glossed with violet or 

 bluish; under parts dull white (purer white on chest and abdomen), 

 the sides and Hanks metallic bronze-green or greenish bronze; chin 

 (occasionally throat also) sometimes flecked with grayish or dull 

 bronzy, and under tail-coverts sometimes with a central spot (more 

 or less large) of grayish bronzy; bill dull black; iris dark brown; feet 

 dusky; length (skins), 57-64 (61); wing, 35.5-38 (36.5); tail, 18-19.5 

 (18.7), middle rectrices, 14-15.5 (15); exposed culmen, 10-10.5 

 (10.1).« 



" Seven specimens. 



