50 SYNOPSIS OF THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 



Ki'ii to the species. 



A. Gi>neral plumage green, metallic. 



a. Upper part of throat and chin, ear coverts and abdomen deep blue ; 



lower part of throat and breast light metallic-green. I. P. anais. 



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



abdomen dark blue. 2. P. thalassina. 



c. p]ar coverts vioIet-bluc ; throat and under parts metallic-green. 3. P. cyanotis. 



d. Ear coverts, chin, and abdomen dark blue, throat with metallic-red 



reflections. 4. P. coruscans. 



e. Ear coverts metallic purplish-red, under tail coverts white. 5. P. serrii-ostris. 



B. General plumage brown, not metallic. 



a. Ear coverts violet-blue ; throat metallic-green. 6. P. delphinx. 



The Petasophor^e are a strongly characterized group of birds, the species with 

 one exception having a considerable resemblance to each other. Tliey are of rather 

 large size, distinguished by their metallic-blue ear coverts, metallic-green scaly-like 

 breasts, and broad, ample bluish-green, barred tails. Their natural position in the 

 Family is apparently after Florisuga. 



1. Fetasophora anais 



Rhamphodon anais. Less., Trbch., p. 146, pi. 55 (1831). 



Polytmus anais, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 108, sp. 27. 



Trochilus thalassinus, (nee Swain.), Jard., Humm.-B., vol. ii, p. 47. 



Trochilas anais, Jard., Humm.-B., vol. ii, p. 73. 



Colibri anais, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., vol. i, p. 69 (1850). 



Piaxilla anais, Reich., Aufz. der Colib., p. 13 (1853).— Id., Troch. Eniim., p. 11 (1855). 



Petasophora anais, Goui.d, P. Z. S. (1847), p. 8.— Id., Mon. Troch., vol. iv, pi. 224. — Id., Intr. Troch., octavo 



ed., p. 124.— Bon., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (1854), p. 250.— Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hein. Th., ill, p. 26 (1860). 



— MuLS., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch , torn, ii, p. 144. — Elliot, Ibis (1876), p. 403. 

 Petasophora iolala, Gould. P. Z. S. (1847), p. 9. — Id., Mou. 'I'roeh., vol. iv, pi. 225.— Id., lutr. Troch., octavo 



ed., p. 124. — (Jab., Mus. Hein. Th., iii, p. 26. 

 Polytmus iolata. Gray. Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 108, sp. 28. 

 Colibri iolata, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., vol. i, p. 69 (1850). 

 Petasophora rhodotis, "Gould," Sauc. Mus. Hein. 

 Praxilta iolata, Reich., Aufz. der Colib., p. 13 (1853).— Id., Troch. Ennm., p. 11 (1855). 



Hal). Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 



Adult. Entire upper surface and flanks, shining grass-green. Chin, line under 

 the eye, ear coverts, and centre of the abdomen purplish dark blue. Breast lumi- 

 nous green, each feather with a dark central green streak, giving this part the 

 appearance of being scaly. Under tail coverts dark green margined with buff. 

 "\\ ings purplish-brown. Median rectrices bronze-green ; lateral ones bluish-green, 

 and all possessing a subterminal chalybeate bar. Bill black ; feet brownish-black. 

 Total length, 4^5^ in. Wing, 2|-3i in. Tail, 21-2^ in. Bill on culmen, | in. 



In immature birds the chin is blue, and the feathers of the throat are black, 

 margined with buff and with a few metallic green feathers interspersed. The green 

 feathers of the upper surface and flanks are also margined with grayish-buff. In 

 other respects they resemble the adult. Occasionally melanitic individuals are 

 met with. One before me has the upper surface olive-brown. Chin and stripe 

 under the eye blue-black. Breast luminous olive-green. Tail dark invisible green 

 with a subterminal black bar. 



