66. PHAETHORNIS. 271 



the typical P. superciUosus (Linn.) as figured by Audebert and 

 Lesson. 



Examples from all other districts have the throat less black and 

 the median stripe apparent. A good deal of variation is also ob- 

 servable in the colour of the tips of the lateral rectrices, which are 

 nearly white iu some examples and strongly tinged with buff in 

 others. Dimensions also vary in addition to the different size of 

 the sexes. 



In 1873 Mr. Elliot and I examined the claims of the various 

 birds allied to P. supercUiosus to be considered distinct species ; and 

 goiug over the same ground again with a larger series before me, I 

 see no satisfactory reason for altering the decision we then arrived 

 at, viz., that there was but one really defiuite species. 



Of the names given to it, P. superciUosus (Linn.) seems strictly 

 applicable to the dark-throated Cayenne bird, P. malaris (Nordm.) 

 and P. affiiiis, Pelz., being synonymous. P. moorei and P. conso-^ 

 brinus apply to the bird of the Upper Amazons Valley, to which 

 that of British Guiana is precisely similar *. P. fraterculus was based 

 on small specimens from Para and Cayenne, probably females. 



In placing these birds together I am only judging from the materials 

 before me, such as they are. Carefully collected specimens with full 

 particulars with each as to sex, date of capture, and exact locality, 

 might alter the view I now adopt. 



Hah. Amazons Valley from the base of the Andes ; Guiana. 



a-d. A.d.etjuY. Colombia (Bogota make). Sclater& Gould Colls. 



sk. 



e,f. Ad. sk. Canelos, Ecuador (Buckley). Gould Coll. 



ff, h. Ad. sk. R. Napo, Ecuador. Gould Coll. 



i,j. Ad. sk. Sarayacu, Ecuador (Buckley). Salvin-Godman Coll, 



k, I. Ad. sk. Peruvian Amazons (E. Gould Coll. 



BaHlett). 



m. 2 ad. sk. Yquitos, Amazons, Oct. (H. Gould Coll. 



Whitely). 



n. Ad. sk. Amazons (Hauxwell's make). Gould CoU. 



(Ex G. N. Lawrence, typical of P. moorei.) 



o,p. S ad.; q. Pebas, Amazons, AprU, May Salvin-Godman & 



5 ad. ; r, s. (J. Hauxxuell). Gould Coll«. 

 Ad. sk. 



t, u. Ad. sk. Demerara. Gould Coll. 



V. S a,([.; w,x. Bartica Grove, Brit. Guiana, Salvin-Godman Coll. 



5 ad. sk. Jan., Oct., Dec. (H. Whitely). 



y. cJad.sk. Mprume Mts., Brit. Guiana, Salvin-Godman Coll. 



July [H. W.). 



z. S ad. sk. Camacusa, Brit. Guiana, Mar. Salvin-Godman Coll. 



(H. W.). 



a'. cJ ad. sk. R. Atapurow, Brit. Guiana, Salvin-Godman CoU. 



Jan. (H. W.). 



b'. (S ad. sk. Quonga, Brit. Guiana, Sept. Salvin-Godman CoU. 



(h: W.). 



* Recently described by M. Boucard as : — 



Phaethornis guianensis, 'The Humming Bird,' i. p. 17 (Mar. 1891). 



