554 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — PICARI^ — TROCHILL 



Fig. 372. — Xantus Hummingbird, 

 nat. size. (Prom Elliot. ) 



BASILIN'NA. (Gr. ^aaiXivva, basilinna, a queen.) Queen Hummers. Head appearing 

 more globose than in any other North American genus, in consequence of non-extension of feathers 

 on base of upper mandible, where they do not reach opposite those on chin, leaving the turgid 

 nasal scale entirely exposed. Bill broad at base, tapering regularly to tip, with distinct supra- 

 nasal grooves; scarcely longer than head, straight. Tarsi feathered. Tail ample, all the 

 feathers broad and rounded ; nearly even, in ^ a little double-rounded by shortness of both 

 lateral and central pair of feathers, in $> simply a little rounded. No peculiarity of primaries. 



Sexes nearly alike in form ; 9 lacking green gorget of ^ ; bill 

 iu (? 9 partly flesh-colored; ^ 9 "'ith white stripe on head; 

 no pure white on tail. 



B. xan'tusi. (To L. J. Xantus de Vesey. Fig. 372.) Xan- 

 tus Hummingbird. Adult <?: Above, and throat, metallic 

 grass-green ; below, cinnamon-rufous ; face blue-black ; a white 

 stripe behind eye ; wings purplish-dusky ; tail purplish-chest- 

 nut, the central feathers glossed with golden-green ; bill flesh- 

 colored, black-tipped. 9 • Shining green above, including 

 central tail-feathers ; below, and face, pale rufous, whitening 

 about vent, and sides greenish ; head-stripe rufous, whitening 

 on auriculars ; tail-feathers, except central pair, chestnut, with dark terminal spot. Length 

 3.5U; extent 4.7.5; wing 2.10; tail 1.25; bill 0.72. Eggs 0.47 X 0.30. Cape St. Lucas, N. 

 to lat. 29°. " 



B. leuco'tis. (Gr. XtvKos, lenkos, white ; ovi, wt6s, ohs, otos. ear.) White-eared Hum- 

 ming XICOTENCAL. Adult (J : Above, shining grass-green, more golden on rump, darker on 

 nape and occiput; f*;e and chin metallic blue; white postocular streak; throat, breast, belly, 

 and crissuni green, posteriorly mixed with whitish ; central rectrices like back, lateral ones steel- 

 blue, bronzed at tips ; bill flesh-colored, black-tipped. 9 wi^'i crown and nape dark brown, 

 the feathers edged with rufous ; black spot under the white streak ; below, dusky whitish ; 

 throat bufl" with dusky specks ; flanks with green spots ; crissum whitish with dusky specks ; 

 lateral tail-feathers tipped with grayish-white ; bill mostly black. Young ^ like 9 • Size of 

 the foregoing. Central America and Mexico to S. Arizona, where discovered on the Chiricahua 

 Mts. at an altitude of about 10,000 feet, by Dr. A. K. Fisher, June 9, 1894; Auk, Oct. 1894, 

 p. .325; A. O. U. List, 2d ed. 1895, No. 440. 1. 



I'ACHE. (Gr. 'la;()j, /ffc/ie, a proper name. Fig. 373.) Circe Hummers, 'iii ear Amizilis; 

 with broad and not perfectly straight bill longer than head, reddish at base, and frontal feath- 

 ers partly covering nasal scale; supranasal groove very dis- 

 tinct. Tail ample, forked, with broad obtuse feathers ; no 

 wing- or tail-feathers peculiar in shape. Tarsi feathered. 

 Sexes, unlike in color. 



I. latj^iros'tris. (Lat. latus, broad ; rostrum, beak.) Circe 

 Hummingbird. ^ : Above and below glittering green ; 

 more golden above, more emerald below ; throat sapphire- 

 blue ; tail steel-blue-black, the feathers tipped with gray; 

 flanks and under tail-coverts white. Bill reddish, tipped with 

 black. Length nearly 4.00; wing 2.00-2.25; tail 1.30, forked 

 0.35; bill 0.80. 9 above like $, but middle tail-feathers nat. 

 bronzy-green ; others bronzed at base, then broadly bluish, then white-tipped. Under parts 

 dark gray. Easily recognized among our species by the special coloration, as described, and 

 by peculiarities of bill ; in all our genera excepting lache, Amizilis, and Basilinna, the nasal 

 scale is covered by extensive frontal feathers. S. Arizona, S. W. New Mexico, and Mexico. 



Fig. 373. — Circe Hummingbird, ^f, 

 size. (From Elliot.) 



