402 Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilidffi. 



Calliphlox (as has already beeu done by authors generally) 

 until I may be so fortunate as to meet with Spix's type, when 

 the question can be effectually decided. 



Genus Petasophora. 



The species forming this genus constitute a well-marked 

 group among the Trochilidae; and each one contains characters 

 sufficient to distinguish it easily from the rest. The only 

 one allowed in this paper a specific rank of which there can 

 be any doubt is P. coruscans ; and regarding it we can only 

 hope to obtain some future information which may enable 

 us to ascertain what is its proper position in the genus. 



The species constitute two sections, distinguished as fol- 

 lows : — 



A. General phimage green, metallic. 



a. Upper part of throat and chin, ear-coverts, and ab- 



domen deep blue ; lower part of throat and breast 



light metallic green P. anais. 



b. Throat and upper part of breast dark metallic green ; 



ear-coverts and abdomen dark blue P. thalassina. 



c. Ear-coverts violet-blue ; throat and underparts me- 



tallic green P. cyanotis. 



d. Ear-coverts, chin, and abdomen dark blue ; throat 



with metallic red reflections P. con/sea fis. 



c. Ear-coverts metallic purplish red ; under tail-coverts 



white P. serrirostris. 



B. General plumage brown, not metallic. 



a. Ear-coverts violet-blue ; throat metallic green .... P. delphince. 



The members of the genus Petasophora, with one exception, 

 are widely distributed. P. anais is found from Venezuela, 

 throughout the countries lying along the Pacific, to and inclu- 

 ding Bolivia. P. thalassina is very common in Mexico, and 

 abundant in Guatemala. P. cyanotis has a most extensive 

 range, stretching from Costa Rica in the north, and Vene- 

 zuela in the east, as far south as Peru. P. serrirostris is the 

 exception mentioned above, and is the only strictly eastern 

 species of the genus, being confined to Brazil, where it is met 

 with from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro. P. delphina is one of 

 the most widely distributed of Humming-birds, being found 



