•y PREFACE. 



as worthy of any consideration as a generic character, and, if structural ones exist 

 sufficient for the establishment of a genus, then the hue of the plumage is imma- 

 terial Tlie arrangement here given of the species composing this Family is, 1 am 

 well aware very ditferent from all those heretofore proposed. It is not, however, 

 the result of guess or imagination, but has been arrived at by a careful comparisoa 

 of the different species themselves, for of the 426 acknowledged as distinct in this 

 Synopsis, about 380 are contained in the great collection, by the assistance of 

 which this book has been written, and of the remaining ones, with but few exce\> 

 tions, I have carefully examined the types. As has already been said by others, 

 no perfect arrangement of the Family is possible at present, so many links being 

 still needed to fill up the gaps, but the discoveries of late years have given us a 

 much better idea of the Trochilidte than was ever before possible, and many 

 needed desiderata have been obtained, so that for the largest proportion of the 

 Family a tolerably satisfactory arrangement can now be made. Between such 

 genera as PnyETHORNis and Eupetomena, Eustephanus and Aithurus, Thalurania 

 and Mellisuga, Sparganurus and Oxypogon, and some few others, constituting the 

 end and beginning of their respective sections as given in this Synopsis, we cannot 

 at tlie present time supply the connecting links, but within the last ten years so 

 many extraordinary and unlooked-for forms have been obtained, tliat it does not 

 seem too much to believe that among the vast unexplored regions of Soutli 

 America, many of the desired links between the genera mentioned will yet be 

 forthcoming. Altliough one of the largest groups of birds known in Ornitliology, 

 it cannot be considered that we are yet acquainted with all the existing species 

 of the Trochilidaj, and it is most probable that pcrliaps even more gorgeously 

 plumaged and wonderful forms than any known, still remain to be discovered. 



As some of the conclusions in tliis Synopsis, particularly in the matter of 

 synonymy, may be contrary to the views of some Ornitliologists, I would suggest 

 that the various papers published by me in the Ibis upon this Family be consulted, 

 as my reasons for many of tlie determinations will be there found given at length. 

 The following is a list of these papers: — 



Those written with the co-operation of Mr. Salvln. 



1. (Is73). The Genus Ph^thornis, p. 1. 



2. (1,S73). The Genera Pygmornis, Gi.aucis, and Threnetes, p. 2fi9. 



3. (1873). On two species of Trochilida; of the Genus Lopuornis, p. 279. 



4. (1873). The Genus Thalurania, p. 353. 



Those of which I alone am the author. 



5. (1872). The Humming-birds of the West Indies, p. 345. 



6. (1874). Description of a new species of Eucephala, witli a list of the known species, p. 87. 



7. (1874). Remarks on some Typical Specimens of the Trochilidai, with a description of one new 



Genus, p. 2fil. 



