A G L .E A C T I S . 



185 



feathers blackish near tlicir ends, and tipped with white. Bill black, feet brown. 

 Total length, S^ in. Wing, 1| in. Tail, 1.^ in. Cuhnen, i in. 



Female. Entire under surface gray, glossed with green on the flanks ; rest like 

 the male. 



The Costa Eica specimens, named meriiUii by Lawrence, are paler beneath, but 

 cannot be separated specitically. 



Between the last genus and Agl^actis there is no relationship. In fact the 

 birds of this genus stand alone. I have placed them here, however, on account of 

 their peculiar coloration, which is distributed similarly to that seen in Eriocnemis. 

 T'he most brilliant part of each is the rump which is highly luminous, but the 

 manner of exhibiting it is diff"erent, for to be able to perceive the full beauty of the 

 AGLiEACT^E it is necessary to look at them from behind, towards the head. In 

 their short straight bills they also resemble the species of Eriocnemis. They are 

 rather large birds, with but little difference in the plumage of the sexes ; the chief 

 one being that the females have less brilliancy upon their rumps than the males. 



Genus XCVII.-AGL.EACTIS. 



Aglceactis, Gould, P. Z. S. (1848), p. 11. 



Aglaiactis, Uab. uud Hein., Mus. Heia. Th., iii, p. 69 (1860). 



Fig. 105. 



Type. 

 T. cupripennis, Bourc. 

 O. paniela, D'Orb. aud L;ifres. 



Ajlftactitcupriptnnii. ^. 1,'ew Granada, 'WUitely. 



CTi. Bill short, straight. Wings long, primaries falcate. Tail ample, forked 

 when closed. Tarsi partially clothed. Hind toe and nail longer than the middle 

 toe and nail. Sexes similar. 



Range. Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 



Four species ai'e recognized, 



24 December, 1878. 



