Mr. I). G. Elliot on the Trocliilidse. 399 



bird with a short square tail. This last determination, I am 

 led to believe, has arisen among Trochilidists simply fi'om the 

 lack of proper specimens to enable them to form a judg- 

 ment. There are two synonyms only that at present need be 

 considered here (that of Ornismya orthura of Lesson being 

 treated under a different head) , the first being Trochilus brevi- 

 caiida, Spix (/. c). The figure and description of this author 

 have been taken from a female, the first so poorly done, and 

 the last so insufficient, as to render it absolutely impossible 

 to determine whether the bird belongs to this species or to 

 that one for which I have in this paper constituted the genus 

 Catharma. An examination of the type alone will enable the 

 question to be solved satisfactorily. I have therefore placed 

 Spix^s name among the synonyms of the present species with 

 a doubt. The second one is Ornismya amethystdides of 

 Lesson, distinguished chiefly by its rather small size. This 

 form is stated to come from the province of Minas Geraes, 

 in Brazil. I fail to distinguish any characters in specimens 

 from that locality that entitles them, in my opinion, to a 

 specific rank, and have placed the name 0. amethystdides as a 

 synonym of C amethystina. An example before me from 

 Minas Geraes, obtained from Mr. Gould, is in every respect 

 as large as specimens of C. amethystina from other parts of 

 Brazil, thus showing that the species varies in size even in 

 that province, and that this cannot be relied upon as a cha- 

 racter. As I am not aware that the female of C. amethystina 

 has ever been characterized, I append a full description of it. 

 Upper parts golden green, inclining to brownish on the 

 head. Entire underparts pale mouse-grey, lightest on the 

 throat, which is spotted with brown. Wings purplish brown. 

 Median rectrices bright metallic green ; remaining rectrices 

 have the basal half light brownish grey, slightly washed with 

 a lustrous green, rest of feather black tipped wdth white. The 

 tail is rounded, and the feathers quite broad. Bill black. 

 Feet brown. Total length 3g inches, wing 1 J, tail l\, bill \. 



Calliphlox mitchelli. 



Trochilus mitchelli, Bourc. P. Z. S. 1847, p. 47. 



