10. PnCENICOCERCUS. 



10. PHCENICOCERCUS. 



367 



Type. 



Phrenicercus, Swains. Faun. Bor.-Am. ii. p. 491 (1831 ) 



1 lioemcocercus, Cab. Wiegm. Arch. xiii. pt. i. p. 236 (1847) P.' camirex.' 



End of wing of Phcenicocercus nigricollis. 



The two known species of this brilliant genus are confined to the 

 Cxmanas and Amazonia. The males have a remarkable point of 

 structure in the shortening of the wings and the curious modifi- 

 cation ot the fourth primary, which terminates in a thickened hornv 

 process. J 



Key to tJie Species. 



A. Throat and back brownish i C( , rn ;f PT n o f . 7 



B. Throat and back jet-black \\\\\\\l Zyt^^k. 



1. Phcenicocercus carnifex. 



Ampelis carnifex, Linn. S. JV. i. p. 298. 

 Ampelis coccinea, 6m. S. N. i. p. 839. 

 Ampelis cuprea, Vieill. Nouv. Diet.' xin. p. 163; id. Enc. Met/,. 



Phcenicercus carnifex, Sw. Class. B. ii. p. 254. 



Phcenicocercus carnifex, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. ii p 08- Cab 

 in Schomb -Guian. hi p. 095; Bp. Consp. i. p. 170; Burm. Bust. 



&?■?' 4 ' 39 ; ScL Cat A - B - P- 253 5 ScL et Sah - p - z & 1867, 

 p. 580 (L. Amazons) ; ltd. Nomencl. p. 58 ; Pelz. Orn. Bras p 131 • 

 Layard Ibis, 1873, p. 385 (Para) ; Sah. Ibis, 1885, p. 304 (Brit' 

 Guiana). r v 



Above dark purplish brown, becoming blacker on the nape • crown 

 slightly crested, and rump bright scarlet ; wings black ; outer second- 

 aries and coverts chestnut-brown, with darker edgings ; tail bright 

 scarlet, with a broad brownish tip : beneath bright scarlet, throat and 

 breast brownish; bill dark horn-colour; feet vellowish brown- 

 whole length 7 inches, wing 3-7, tail 3. Female. Above olive-brown 

 crown of head and tail tinged with scarlet : beneath brown, abdomen 

 stained with blood-red; bill and feet brown: length of win^ 

 4*2 inches. ° 



Hab. Cayenne, Guiana, and Lower Amazonia. 



