IGO Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilid®. 



it should be found that the bifurcation gradually disappears 

 in various localities, then atala of Lesson would run into 

 prasinus, Less., as there is no other character by which they 

 can be separated, the slight difference in the shades of bluish 

 green or greenish blue being of no specific value whatever. 



I have placed, with a ?, Mr. Lawrence^s C. caribceus, from 

 Cura9oa, described in the tenth volume of the ' Annals of the 

 Lyceum of Natural History of New York/ as a synonym of 

 this species. I have not seen the type, and therefore cannot 

 speak with certainty in regard to its specific value ; but as his 

 description agrees with specimens of C atala before me, and 

 as he apparently founds his species upon a variation of colour 

 only, w^hich by itself has no specific value in this group of birds, 

 I think it probable that his name is a synonym of C. atala. 

 Unfortunately no mention is made of the shape of tlie tail, 

 whether square or forked, which is of specific importance*. 



The only specimens I have seen are : — 



Trinidad, 3 {Boucard), Mus. D. G. E. 



ChLOROSTILBON HiEBERLlNl. 



Chlorostilbon hceberlini, Licht. Mus. Berl. ; Cab. & Heine, 

 Mus. Hein. Th. iii. p. 48, footnote (1860). 



Chlorestes hceberlini, Reich. Aufz. Colibr. p. 7 (1853) ; id. 

 Troch. Enum. p. 4, t. 703. f. 4578-80. 



Chlorostilbon hceberlini, Gould, Intr. Troch. p. 175, sp. 398. 



Chlorostilbon nitens, Lawr. Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist. N. Y. 1861, 

 p. 305 ; Gould, Intr. Troch. p. 179, sp. 410. 



Hab. Panama (McLeawwa/i); Columbia (^ya^^; Venezuela. 



This species, coming from Panama, Columbia, and Vene- 

 zuela, and to which it appears that Prof. Reichenbach first allot- 

 ted the name of hceberlini, is distinguishable from all the other 

 members of this genus by having the basal half of the man- 

 dible red in life, the remaining portion, as well as the maxilla, 

 being black. Specimens vary, like those of other species of 

 Chlorostilbon, in the shades of green possessed in their plu- 

 mage ; and some have brilliant crowns. It is to these indi- 

 viduals that Mr. Lawrence has given the name of nitens, as 



* Since the above was written I have seen Mr. Lawrence's type of C. cari- 

 haus in his collection, and am convinced it should be referred to C. atala. 



