58 Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilidie. 



This species is but little known, and only a few collections 

 possess examples of it. Mr. Gould first described it in the 

 ' Introduction ' to his monograph of the Trochilidai, but did 

 not figure it in the body of his work. Tiiis is to be regretted, 

 as his description does not convey an adequate idea of its 

 distinctness from L. ccelifjena, with which he compares it. 

 For a long time the specimen in Mr. Gould's cabinet was the 

 only one known ; but last year Mr. Buckley brought a limited 

 number from Bcllavista, in Bolivia, procured at a height of 

 8000 feet. It is very distinct from all the other members of 

 this genus. Although darker, it is similar to the two previous 

 species in its underparts ; but above it is almost black upon 

 the head and back, while the tail is extremely dark olive- 

 brown, the central feathers being slightly shaded with purple. 

 Wings glossy purple. Measurements of a specimen in my 

 collection give, total length 5^ inches, wing 3^, tail 2|, 

 bill l\. 



Lampropygia prunelli. 



Trochilus prunelli, Bourc. & Muls. Ann. des Sc. & d'Agric. 

 Lyon, p. 36, pi. 1 (1843). 



Mellisuga prunellei, G. li. Gray, Gen. of Birds, i. p. 112. 



Bourcieria prunelli, Reich. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pi. 750. 

 figs. 4721, 4722. 



Ccsligena prunelli, Gould, Mon. Troch. vol. iv. pi. 257. 



Lampropygia prunellei, Gould, Intr. Troch. p. 137, sp. 284. 



Hab. Columbia. 



This is a very common and well-known species, plentiful 

 in collections from Bogota, and easily recognizable from its 

 black plumage and green metallic throat-mark. It is not 

 to be confounded with any other species of Lampropygia, 

 unless the bird that I am about to call the attention of Tro- 

 chilidists to shordd really prove to be a distinct species. I 

 have had for a long time in my collection a specimen of 

 Lampropygia similar in all respects to L. prunelli, save one, 

 which, however, is sufficiently striking to make it readily 

 distinguishable from that species. This character is the 

 colouring of the throat. In all specimens of L. prunelli that 



