1(36 SYNOPSIS OF THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 



Male. Upper surface dark bronzy-green. Throat and upper part of breast lumi- 

 nous grass-green. Under surface bronzy-green, the base of the feathers buff. "\Yino-s 

 purphsh-brown. Tail dark green above, with bright purple reflections in certain 

 lights; beneath luminous violet, with green reflections. Bill and feet black. Total 

 length, 3f in. Wing, 2| in. Tail, If in. Culmen, \ in. (From type in my col- 

 lection.) 



Female. Like the male, but the under surface is mottled with green and bu'" 



8. Metallura tyrianthina. 



Trochilus tyrianthinusf, Lodd., Proc. Zool. Soc. (1832), p. 6. 



Ornismya allanli, BouRO.. Rev. Zool. (1839), p. 294.— Id., Ann. Soc. d'Agr., Lyon (1840), p. 226, pis. 3 and 4. 



Ornismya paulince., Boiss., Rev. Zool. (1839), p. 354.— Id., Mag. Zool. (1840), pi. 13. 



Mellisiiga lyrianthina. Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 112, sp. 36. 



Trochitux allardi, Jard., Contr. Ornith. (1850), pp. 81-89, and 151, pi. 55. 



Metallura tyrianthina. Bon., Consp. Gen. Av., vol. i, p. 75 (1850). — REini., Troch. Enum.. p. 5, pi. 719, figs 



4630-31.— Id.. Aiifz. der Colib., p. 8 (1853).— Bon., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (1854). p. 253.— Goui.d, Mon. 



Troch., vol. iii, pi. 195. — Id., Intr. Troch., octavo ed., p. 112 (1861). — Mui.s., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn. 



iii, p. 117 (1876).. 

 Vrolampra tyrianthina, Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hein. Th., iii, p. 68 (1860). 

 Metallura quitensis, Gould, Intr. Troch., octavo ed., p. 112 (1861).— Muls., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn, iii, p. 



115 (1876). 



Hah. Venezeula, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. 



Male. Upper surface dark bronze-green. A small white spot behind the eye. 

 Throat luminous grass-green. Under surface bronze-green, the base of the feathers 

 buff, which, showing in various parts, gives a mottled appearance to the plumage. 

 Under tail coverts bi-onzy-green margined with reddish-buff. Wings purplish-brown. 

 Tail brilliant metallic purple-bronze. Bill and feet black. A tuft of white feathers 

 on each side of tlie vent. Total length, 3^ in. Wing, 2j in. Tail 1| in. Cul- 

 men, y^r in. 



Young male. Like the male, but with the exception, that the throat and under 

 parts are buff- or grayish-white, the feathers tipped with green. No luminous spot 

 on the throat. 



Female. Upper parts bronzy-green. Entire under parts rufous, lightest on the 

 abdomen, s])otted with green on the throat, and mottled with green on the flanks. 

 Tail bronzy-purple, lighter than the males. In size she is slightly smaller than the 

 male. 



Tlie Ecuador bird separated by Mr. Gould as M. qidtends (1. c.) does not always 

 possess a greater size to distinguish it, as I have some from Columbia quite equal 

 to it in measurements. I do not consider it a distinct species, and have placed Mr. 

 Gould's term among the synonyms of the M. tyriantliina. 



9. Metallura smaragdinicollis. 



Orthorhynchus smaragdinicollis, D'Orb. and Lafres., Syn. Av., ii, p. 31, no. 23 (1838). — D'Orb., Voy. Anicr. 



Mferid., torn, iv, p. 375, Atl. Ois., pi. 59, fig. 2. 

 Mellisuga smaragdinicollis, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i. p. 112, sp. 42. 



