M E L L I S U G A . 



103 



its nppcr and under coverts steel-blue. Wings dark purplish-brown. Maxilla 

 black, mandible flesh-color, tip black. 



Total length. 



HI. 



Ifir 



Cnlmen. 5 in. 



Wing, 2| in. 



Tail, 



Female. Upper parts bronzy-green, darkest on crown of the head. Upper tail 

 coverts bluish-green. Entire under parts grayish-white, spangled with green on 

 the flanks. Tail, two outermost rectrices dark-gray at base, remaining part steel- 

 blue tipped with white, rest of feathers shining green with the terminal third steel- 

 blue. Maxilla dark brown ; mandible flesh-color. 



It matters little Avhich group or division we place next, as a gap occurs here, 

 and there is no form known that will connect the last genus with any of those tliat 

 remain. There is no arrangement of this Family possible that will not exhibit 

 great gaps, although they are much fewer than they were a few years since. The 

 species of the next genus is the smallest known among the Humming-birds, plain 

 in plumage, and without any metallic hues. 



Genus L.— MELLISUGA. 



Mellisuga, Briss., Ornith., torn. iii. p. 605 (ITCO). 

 Dyrinia, Muls. and Vekk., Class. Trocb. (ISGj), p. 



Ch. Bill straight, shorter than the head, rather wide at 

 base, graduating to a point. Wings long, and primaries 

 narrow. Tail very slightly forked, short. Sexes alike. 

 Size minute. 



Range. Jamaica, St. Domingo. 



But one species of this genus is known. 



Type. 



T. minimus, Linn. 

 T. minimus, Liuu. 



Fi- 50. 



Mellisuga minima. cT . Jamaica- Salle. 



1. Mellisuga minima. 



trochilus minimus, Linn., Syst. Nat. (1766), vol. i, p. 193. — Gmel., Syst. Nat. (1788), torn, i, p. 500. — Lath., 



Ind. Orn., vol. i, p. 320 (1790). 

 Le plus 'petit oiseau-mouche, Bufp., Plan. Enlum., 27C, fis. 1. . » 



Trochilus minuluhis, ViEir.L., Ois. Am. Sept., torn, ii, p. 73 (1807). 

 Trochilus vieilloti, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 347. 

 Ornismya minima. Less., Ois. Moueh., pi. 79. 9 (1829). 

 Mellisuga humiiis, Gosse., B. Jamaica, p. 127 (1847). 

 Trochilus catherince, Salle., Rev. Zool. (1849), p. 498. 

 Hylocharis nigra, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 114, sp. 16. 

 Hylocharis niger, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., vol. i, p. 81 (1850). 

 Mellisuga minima, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av. (1850), vol. i, p. 81. — Id., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (18,14), p. 2.57. — 



Gould, Mon. Troch., vol. iii, pi. 133. — Id., Intr. Troch., octavo ed., p. 87.— Reich., Aufz. der Colib., p. 6. 



—Id., Troch. Enum., p. 3, t. 680, figs. 4490-93.— Elliot, Ibis (1872), p. 354.— Muls., Hist. Nat. Ois. 



Mouch., torn, iv, p. 82 (1877). 

 Dyrinia minima, Muls. and Verr., Class. Troch. (1865), p. 88. 



Ilab. Jamaica, St. Domingo. 



