Mr. D. G. Elliot on the TrochilidEe. 397 



in some extending a little distance below the chin, in others 

 almost reaching to the breast, I do not deem it a sufficient 

 character ujDon which to establish a species, and have con- 

 sequently placed H. phainolcema as a synonym of H. auri- 

 culatus. 



Heliothrix barroti. 



Trochilus barroti, Bourc. Rev. Zool. 1843, p. 72. 



Heliothrix pur pur eiceps, Gould, P. Z. S. 1855, p. 87; id. 

 Intr. Troch. (8vo ed.) p. 121. sp. 24] ; id. Mon. Troch. vol. iv. 

 pi. 216. 



Heliothrix barroti, Gould, Mon. Troch. vol. iv. pi. 217. 



Heliothrix violifrons, Gould, Intr. Troch. (8vo ed.) p. 122. 

 sp. 242. 



Hab. Central America, Columbia, Ecuador. 



This species was first described by Bourcier (/. c.) from 

 specimens contained in the Paris Museum, sent from Car- 

 tagena by M. Barrot, who was at that time stationed there 

 as the French Consul-General. In 1855 Mr. Gould rede- 

 scribed it as H. purpureiceps ; and in his Introduction to the 

 Monograph of the Trochilidse he gives to a form of this 

 species, which he separates on account of the metallic colour- 

 ing on the head being restricted to the crown, the name of 

 H. violifro7is. I find in my collection specimens ofH. barroti, 

 procured on the volcano of Chiriqui by Arce, which repre- 

 sent both the forms separated by Mr. Gould, thus showing 

 that the character he gives is not indicative of specific rank ; 

 for we cannot suppose that two species so closely allied as to 

 require very keen examination to perceive their differences 

 are to be found inhabiting the same country, much less the 

 same mountain. It would thus seem necessary to place H. 

 violifrons as a synonym of H. barroti, which I believe to be 

 its proper place. 



Genus Galliphlox. 



But two species are at present included in this genus, one 

 of them being among the most common of this family. They 

 are characterized by long, slender, deeply forked tails, and 



