640 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



more contracted, sometimes forming a rather distinct narrow ridge; 

 tomia smooth; mandible with the usual longitudinal median sulcus. 

 Nasal operculum rather broad and convex, more or less (sometimes 

 wholly) hidden by the decumbent frontal feathering, which extends 

 forward to beyond anterior end of nostril, forming a short and obtuse 

 point or antia on each side of culmen. Tarsus feathered for upper 

 portion except behind; inner toe about as long as middle toe, the 

 outer very slightly shorter, the hallux shorter than outer toe. Wing 

 more than twice as long as exposed culmen, the outermost primary 

 longest, rather narrow, but not attenuated nor acuminate. Tail in 

 adult male shorter than wing, forked for more than half its length, 

 the lateral rectrices rather narrow but rounded at tip ; in adult females 

 at least half as long as wing, strongly double rounded or rounded 

 with middle pair of rectrices abruptly shorter than the rest. 



Coloration. — Above rather dull or dark metallic bronze or bronze- 

 green, including middle rectrices; under parts of body more or less 

 rufescent, sometimes glossed with green or bronze laterally, the chest 

 whitish or buJTy. Adult male with chin and throat bright metallic 

 reddish purple sometimes passing into violet or blue posteriorly, the 

 lateral rectrices purplish black broadly edged on inner web with 

 cinnamon-rufous; adult females with chin and throat dull white or 

 cinnamon-buffy, lateral rectrices rufescent with a subterminal band 

 of black. 



Range. — Balmma Islands ; Costa Rica and western Panama. (Three 

 species.) 



Wliile acknowledging the very close relationship of this group to 

 Callipldox Boie, I believe it is better to keep it apart, the type of 

 CallijyMox having the lateral rectrices contracted and obtusely pointed 

 terminally, the middle rectrices much broader, and the primaries 

 very much narrower, the outer one very narrow terminally. The 

 coloration is very similar, but in CallipTilox there is no rufous on the 

 tail, which (except the middle rectrices) is uniform purplish black. 

 N. hryantx is intermediate in coloration between the typical species 

 of the present genus and Callipldox, the female agreeing with that of 

 the latter in the conspicuous dusky auricular area, while both sexes 

 agree with the species of NesopJilox in coloration of the tail. It is 

 also, to a certain extent, intermediate in form, but seems nearer the 

 present group. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OP NESOPHLOX. 



a. Throat bright metallic reddish purple; tail deeply forked, the longer rectrices 



edged on inner web with cinnamon-rufous but not tipped with that color. {Adult 



males.) 



b. Bill slightly decurved from middle portion; under parts of body more rufescent; 



purple of throat passing into violet on posterior border; a conspicuous lumbar 



tuft of white. 



