170 



SYNOPSIS OF THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 



Male. Upper surface golden-bronze, most brilliant upon the tail ; and inclining 

 to brown upon the head. Throat buff. Breast and flanks golden-brown. Middle 

 of abdomen buff. Under tail coverts golden with gray edges. Bill flesh-color, tips 

 black. Feet black. Total length, 3| in. Wing, 2 1 in. Tail, 1| in. Culmen,|in. 



Some specimens have the two outermost rectrices tipped with gray. These may 

 possibly be females ; and occasionally the rectrices of the males are reddish-bronze 

 very brilliant, instead of golden-bronze. 



Next to Chrysuronia I place Augastes, containing species with highly luminous 

 tails, and a bill similar in shape to the preceding species, yet inclining towards the 

 point to the attenuated form so characteristic of the wedge-like bills of Schistes 

 and Heliothrix. One of the species is a rather large bird, of most beautiful and 

 luminous plumage, and both are distinguished for the metallic color exhibited on 

 their heads and throats. 



Genus LXXXVI.— AUGASTES. 



Augastes, Gould, Intr. Troch., octavo ed., p. 123 (18G1), desc. Mou. Troch., pt. ii (1850). 

 Lamprurus , Reich., Aufz. der Colib. (1853), p. 12. 



Ttpe. 

 T. stqierbus, Vicill. 

 0. lumachella, Less. 



Fig. 94. 



Ch. Bill straight, longer than the head, attenuated 

 slightly at the tip ; frontal feathers not advancing upon 

 the culmen. "Wings long ; tail moderately long and 

 square ; tarsi clothed ; feet small, hind toe diminutive. 



Range. Brazil, 



AttfjaaUs hniiacJteUuH. 3 . Miuos Gaoras, 

 Brazil. Verreanx. 



Key to the species. 



A. Forehead aud throat golden-green, the latter ending in reddish-orange. 



Tail metallic bronze-red. I. A. lumachellus- 



B. Forehead and throat cmerald-grceu. Tail shining green with a bluish-gloss. 2. A. superbus. 



1. Augastes lumachellus. 



Ornismya htmachdla, Less., Rev. Zool. (1838), p. 315, juv. 



TrocliUus liimachellus, Bourc, Rev. Zool. (1846), p. 313. 



Hylocharis lumachellus, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i, p. 114, sp. 30. 



Atit)astes lumachellus, Bon., Cotisp. Gen. Av., p. 84 (1850).— In., Rev. and Mag. Zool. (1854), p. 253.— Goixd, 



Men. Troch., vol. iv, pi. 222.— Id., Intr. Trocli., octavo ed., p. 123.— Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hcin. 'i'li., 



iii, p. 46 (I860).— MuLs., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn, iii, p. 147. 



