68 



SYNOPSIS OF THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 



feathers white except at tlie tips. External feather grayish-white all but tlie tip 

 which is browuish-green. Bill and feet black. Total length, 8| in. Wing, 51 in. 

 Tail, 3.1 in. Bill, 1 J- in. 



Genus XXXIV.— DOCIMASTES. ' 



Type. 

 Melltstcga, Grat (nee Brisson., 17G0). Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 112 (1848). 0. ensi/era, Boiss. 



D ocimastes , Gould, Moii. Troch., pt. i (1850). — Id., lutr. Mou. Troch., octavo ed., p. 



129 (18G1). 0. ensi/era, Boiss. 



Doci master, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., vol. i, p. 7-1 (1850). 0. ensifera, Boiss. 



Doctmaales emnferua, $ . Ecuador. Gardener. 



CTi. Bill longer than the body and head, and inclining upwards at th*. tip. 

 Feathers projecting on to the culmen and gonys. Nostrils hidden. Bill compressed 

 laterally for three-fourths of its length, when it becomes slightly flattened, and 

 graduates rapidly to a point at the tip. Wings long and pointed. Tail forked. 

 Feet rather small, with the hind toe shorter than the middle toe. Tarsi partly 

 clothed. Sexes unlike in plumage. 



Range. Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. 



The single species of this genus is remarkable for the extreme length of the 

 bill, which exceeds that of the entire bird. The necessity for this extraordinary 

 development is appreciated when the lengthened tubular flowers are seen, from the 

 bottom of which the species obtains its food, and which could never be reached by 

 a short-billed bird. In size it is a rather large species, the breast being the most 

 luminous portions of the male. 



1. Docimastes ensifems. 



Ornismya ensifera, Boiss., Rev. Zool. (1839), p. 354.— Id., Mag. Zool. (1840), Ois., pi. 15. 



Trochilus derhyaniis, Fras., P. Z. S. (1840), p. 16. 



MelUsuga ensifera, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 112, sp. 1. 



Docimastes ensiferus, Gould, Mon. Troch., vol. iv, pi. 233. — Id., Mon. Troch., octavo ed., p. 129. — Reich.. Aufz. 



der Colib., p. 14 (1853).— Id., Troch. Enum., p. 11 (1855).— Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hein. Th., iii, p. 77 



(I860).— MuLS., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn, ii, p. 286. 

 Docimaster ensiferus, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., vol. i, p. 74 (1850).— Id., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (1854), p. 251. 

 Docimastes schlicphaekei, Heine, Journ. fiir Ornith. (1863), p. 215. 



Hah. Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. 



Male. Head coppery-green ; throat black, the feathers edged with buff". Upper 

 surface bronzy-green. On either side of the neck and upper part of breast a broad 

 metallic emerald-green band. Flanks bronzy-green. Middle of abdomen pale 

 brown. Wings purplish-brown. Tail bronze. Behind the eye a spot of white. 



