48 SYNOPSIS OF THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 



Key to the species. 



A. Head and breast blue, back preen, nape and abdomen white. 1. F. mcUiwra. 



]>. Head and under parts black, back very dark green. 2. F. fm^ca. 



These birds possess the general form of those composing the genus Chaltbura, 

 and with rather long under tail coverts-; not, however, plume-like as in the others. 

 The plumage is blue, green, and white, or black, and a peculiar feature is the pure 

 white tail tipped with purplish-brown. 



1. Florisnga mellivora. 



Trochilus mcllivorus, Linn., Syst. Nat. (17GG), vol. i, p. 193. — Gmei,., Sjst. Nat., torn, i, p. 499. — Latu., Ind. 



Orn., vol. i, p. 310, sp. 34. 

 Trochilus fimbria! us, Li.nn., Syst. Nat. (17CC), vol. i, p. 193. 

 Mellisuija surinamensis, Stkpii., Gcm. Zoo!., vol. .\iv, p. 243, sp. 3. 

 Ornismya 7ndlii'ora, Lkss., Ois. Moucli., p 90, t. 21-22 (1829). 

 Florisuga mellivora, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., vol. i, p. 73 (1850). — Id., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (18.54), p. 253. — 



Goui.D, Mon. Trocli., vol. ii, pi. 113.— Id., Intr. Troth., octavo cd., p. 80. — Reicu., Troch. Enuni., p. 12 



(1855).— Id., Aufz. dor Colib., p. 14 (18.53).— Cab. and Uein., Mus. Uein. Th., iii, p. 29.— Muls., Hist. 



Nat. Ois. Moucli., torn, ii, p. 178. 



Trochilus ( tlflahdlifvra, Goui.d, P. Z. S. (1846), p. 45. 



Topaza mellivora, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 110, sp. G. 



Topaza fimbriata. Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 110, sp. 7. 



Topaza flahdlif era. Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 110, sp. 8. 



FtorisugaJl.abelli/cra, Goui.d, Mon. Troch., vol. ii, pi. 114. — Id., Intr. Troch , octavo cd.. p. 81. — Bon., Consp. 



Gen. Av., p. 74, sp. 3. — Reicu., Aufz. der Colib., p. 14. — Id., Troch. Enum., p. 12.— Cab. and Hein., Mus. 



Hcin. Th., iii, p. 29 (note).— I'h.n., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (1854), p. 253. 



Hah. Central America from Guatemala, southward through Columbia and Peru ; 

 islands of Tobago and Trinidad; Venezuela, Guiana, and the Amazonian region 

 of Brazil. 



Male. Head and neck dark shining cobalt-blue. Across the nape of the neck, 

 a cuneate-shaped white band, rest of upper parts dark shining grass-green. Wings 

 ptirplish-brown. Upper part of breast and flanks shining grass-green. Rest of 

 under parts pure white. Upper tail coverts very long, same color as the back. 

 Tail pure white, feathers margined and tipped with purplish-brown. Bill black. 

 Total length, 4| in. "NVing, 2| in. Tail, If in, Culmen, | in. 



Female. Upper parts bronzy-green, dullest on the crown. Throat and upper 

 part of breast white spotted Avith dark brown, flanks and upper parts of abdomen 

 grass-green : rest of under parts white. Under tail coverts blackish-brown tijjped 

 with white. Tail bronzy-green, with a subterminal bar of deep blue, and the tips 

 white. I have placed the F. flahcUifcra of Gould among the synonyms of this 

 species, as it has no claims whatever to be considered a distinct species, not being 

 even a local variety. 



2. Florisuga fusca. 



Trochilus fuscus, Vieii.l., Nouv. Diet. Hist. Nat. (1817), vol. vii, p. 348. 



Trochilus atcr, Pr. Max., Reis. Bras., vol. i, p. 3G6 ; vol. ii, p. 13G. 



Trochilus niijer, Swain., Zool. 111., 1st ser., vol. ii, pi. 82. 



Oniismya Inrjuhris. Less., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn, i, p. 132, pis. 38 ^ , 39 9 (1829). 



Trochilus alralus, Light., Doubl., p. 14. 



