TR OCHILIDJE : HUMMINGBIRDS. 



545 



illustrate; in only one (Calothorax lucifer) is the bill decidedly curved. Only one species is 

 more than 5 inches long — the magnificent Coeligena clemendee. Some curious shapes of tail, 

 including marked sexual characters in this respect, are exhibited by certain genera, especially 

 the wonderful Loddigesia. 



Only one species, the common Ruby-throat, is known to occur in the East ; this was the 

 only one known to Wilson. Audubon gave four species, but one of them erroneously. Since 

 his time, many new forms of these exquisite creatures have successively been brought to light 

 over our Mexican bor- 

 der. In 1858, Baird 

 gave seven (one of them 

 Lampornis mango, erro- 

 neously, as Audubon liad 

 done). In 1872, in tlie 

 Key, I was able to in- 

 crease the number to ten, 

 but with two wrongly 

 given (the Lamponiix 

 and Agyrtria linncii). 

 The same ten, with the 

 two errors, were given 

 by Baird and Kidgway 

 in 1874. Within ten 

 years the discoveries 

 were so many, that, after 

 eliminating the two er- 

 rors, I was able to de- 

 scribe in 1884 no fewer 

 than fifteen perfectly 

 distinct species of United States Hummingbirds ; and I then stated that I had no doubt that 

 several others would in due time be found over our Mexican border. The sixteenth (Coeligena 

 clemendee) was added to the 3d ed. of tlie Key, 1887; the seventeenth and eighteenth (Tro- 

 chiliis violijugidaris and S. floresH) were installed in the 4th ed., 1890. I have now to 

 include the nineteenth (Basilinna Irucofis). But Afthi>< heUmfP is not confirmed, reducine: fur 

 the present the total to eighteen. Among the probabilities are Lamprolccma rhami and Cam- 

 pglopterus hemileucurus. 



The discrimination of the females and young is difficult ; but witli the adult males there 

 should be no trouble. The following table is intended to enable the student to tell the genus 

 and species directly of any United States Hummer, if tlie specimen lie has in iiand be an adult 

 male. If a female or young, he must refer to the detailed descriptions. He will be much as- 

 sisted by the figures of generic details drawn from nature by Mr. R. Ridgway for Mr. D. G. 

 Elliot's monograpli, and kindly loaned to mv by Professor Baird. 





Fig. 355. — Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, (f, 9i and nest, nearly nat. size. 

 (Sheppard del. Nichols sc.) 



Analysis of Genera and Species of X. A. Trochilidoe (athdt males). 



Frontal featliers not fully covering nasal scale. Tarsi feathered. Tail emarginate. Bill broad, in part flesh-colored. 

 Nasal scale entirely naked. 



White stripe on head. Crown, face, and chin blue-black. Tail mostly rufous .... Unsilinna ranluti 



Tail mostly blue llnsilinna leucotis 



Nasal scale partly naked. 



Crown green ; throat blue ; tail blackish Imhe Intirnslris 



Throat grci-n; tail rufous; sides rufous Aiiii:ilscrrtinivriilrijir/Mlconota 



Throat green 1 tail rufous; sides green .imizilis tzacatl 



35 



