LESBIA. £ 145 



Only one species is known, the extraordinary L. 7)iirahilis. This species is 

 remarkable for the enormous spatules at the end of the externul rectrices. We 

 know very little about it, the type still remains unique, and even the precise locality 

 the species inhabits has never been ascertamed. 



1. ""^Loddigesia mirabilis. 



TrocJulus nu'rabilis, Bourc, P. Z. S. (1847), p. 42.— Id., Rev. Zool. (1847), p. 253. 



Loddiges/'a mirabilis, Goui.D, Mon. Troch., vol. iii, pi. 101. — Id., Iiitr. Trocli., ocl-.ivo cd., p. 99 (18C1 ). — Mui.s., 



Hist. Nat. Ois. Moudi., torn, iii, p. 2S2 (1876). 

 Muhantia mirabilis, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., p. 80 (1850), vol. i.— Reich., Aufz. tier Colilj., p. 12 (1853).— Id., 



Troch. Enum.. p. 9, pi. 830, fig. 4888 (1855). 

 Loddigiornis mirabilis, Bon., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (1854), p. 256. 

 Thaumatuessa mirabilis, Hkin., Jourii. fur Oriiitli. (1863), p. 210. 



Ilab. Chachapoyas, Peru. One specimen procured, now in Mr. Loddige's col- 

 lection. 



Male. "Crown of the head brilliant blue, neck, scapularies, back, wing, and tail 

 coverts golden-green ; on the throat a gorget of very brilliant green, tinged with 

 blue in the centre, and bounded on each side by a narrow band of coppery-red ; 

 sides of the breast and flanks dull white ; the greatly prolonged shaft of the outer 

 feather on each side and the large spatule at its tip violaceous-black ; centre tail 

 feathers shining glaucous-green, passing into brown at their tips ; bill and feet 

 black" (Gould, 1. c). Length of bill, 20 mm.; wings, 40 mm. Outer rectrices, 

 about 160 mm. Spatules, 20 mm. Middle rectrices, 60 mm. (Bourc, 1. c). 



Female. Unknown. 



The Genus Lesbia, which succeeds, is composed of various species, possessing 

 lengthened rectrices of nearly even width for their entire length, and having 

 generally a luminous tip. All tlie species have metallic-green throats, and difler 

 from each other, in size, and the length and coloration of their tails. The females 

 are very differently clothed, having white breasts spangled with green, and com- 

 paratively short tails. 



Genus LXXV.— LESBIA.^ 



Type. 

 Lesbia, Less., Ind. Gen. et. Syn. dcs Ois. du Genre Trochilus (18.32). p. xvii. O. nuna, Les.s. 



Ci/nanthus, Bon. (nee Swains., 1827), Consp. Gen. Av., p. 81 (1850). T. amarj/llis. Bourc. 



A gaclyta. Cab. and Hein., Mus. Ilcin. (1861)) Tli., iii, p. 70. T. gouldi. l.odd. 



Psalidoprymna, Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hein. (1860) Th., iii, p. 52 (note). T. amaryllis, Bourc. 



' Lesson instituted tliis cenus, inchiflinc; in it species not closely related, such a.s L. xappho, L. 

 nuna, and L. kingii. Tiie first of these is the Sappho sparo.\nura, Auct., and the last (the T. 

 forficatus, Linn.) iri the type of Swaiasou's genus Cynanthus, thus leaving the 0. nuna, Less., as 

 the type of his genus Lesbia, 



19 November, 1878. 



