CYNANTHUS. 



Fig. 85. 



151 



Cj/nanihu3/<jrficaliis. <f . 320(55, Quito. 



Ch. Bill shorter than the head, straight, graduating rapidly at the tip to a sharp 

 point. Wings long, first primary slightly falcate. Tail extremely long and deeply 

 forked. Tarsi bare. Sexes different. 



Range. Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador, Pern, and Bolivia. 



Two species only are known, but they are among the most beautiful of the Family, 

 and are remarkable for their lengthened and brilliantly colored tails. 



Key to the species. 



A. General plumage sliinin<^ green. Top of head metallic grass-green. 



a. Tail entirely shining blue, or shiuiug green with outermost feather blue. 1. C. forficnlus. 



b. Tail metallic grass-green. 2. C. mocoa. 



1. Cynanthus forficatus. 



Troclulus forficatus, Linn., Syst. Nat. (17CC), p. 190, sp. 5. 



Trochilus cyanurus, Stepu., Shaw Gcii. Zool., vol. xiv, p. 239. 



Ornismya (Lesbia) kingu, Less., Trochil., p. 107, pi. 38 (1829) ; lud., p. xvii. — Boiss., Rev. Zool. (1840). p. 7. 



Cynanthus forficatus, Swain., Class. Birds, vol. ii, p. 330 (1836) 



Alellisnga foificata, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 113, sp. 49 (1844-49). 



MellisiKja cyanura. Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i (1849), p. 113, sp. 50. 



Cynantlnis forficatus, Bon., Consp. Gen. Av. (1850), vol. i, p. 8. 



Lesbia forficata, Rei.'h., Aufz. der Colib., p. 8 (1853).— Id., 'IVoch. Enum., p. ^, pi. 718, figs. 4628-29.— Bon., 



Rev. and Mag. Zool. (18.i4), p. 252.^Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hein. (1800) Tli., iii, p. 71. 

 Lesbia gorge, Reich., Aufz. der Colib., pp. 8, 24 (1853). — Id., Troch. Enum., p. 5 (18,55). — Cab. and Hein., 



Mils, Hein. Tli., ih, p 71 (1860). 

 Cynanthus cyanurus, Gould, Mon. Troch., vol. iii, pi. 172. — Id., Intr. Troch.. octavo ed., p. 102 (ISGl). — Mli.s., 



Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn. iii. p. 268 (1870).— Em.iot, Ibis (1876), p. 10. 

 Mellisuga salvadori, Benvenut, Ann. Zool. Mus. Flor. (1805), p. 204. 

 Cynanthus coclestis, Goui,D, Mon. Troch. Intr., octavo ed., p. 102 (1801). 

 Lesbia margarelhoe, Hein., Journ fUr Ornitli. (1863), p. 213, ex Venezuela. 

 Cynanthus ?, Von Pei,z, Verh. Zool. bot. Gesellsch., Wien (1876), xsv., p. 708. 



Jlah. Venezuela, Columbia, and Ecuador. 



Male. Crown metallic grass-green, bordered on the sides with a greenish-black 

 line. Throat metallic-purple. Plumage of the body bronzy-green, darkest on the 

 back, and sometimes with a brownish hue on the under parts. Wing coverts green 

 like the back. Primaries and secondaries brown, llcctrices — in some specimens 

 the feathers of the tail are black, with the portions that project beyond the tip of 

 the rest shining purple — in others the central rectrices arc metallic-green; the three 

 aext are black with metallic-greeu tips, inclining to blue on the inner web, and on 



