216 



SYNOPSIS OF THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 



'Genus CIX.— AMAZILIA. 



Amazilis, Less., Ind. Gen. and S.yn. du Gen. Trochikis (1832), p. xxvii. 



Amazil ia, Reich., Avium Syst. Nat, pi. 39 (1849). 



Aviaziliii'S, Bon., Cousp. Geu. Av., vol. i, p. 77 (1850). 



Pyrrhoplicena, Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hoin. Th., iii, p. 35 (18C0). 



Hemithylaca, Cab. and Hein., Mus. Hein. Th., iii, p. 37 (18UU). 



Hemistilbon, Gould, Intr. Mon. Trocli., p. 149 (1860). 



Eranna, Heine, Journ. fur Ornith., p. 187 (1863). 



Eratina, Heine, Journ. fur Ornith., pp. 190, 191 (1863). 



Ariaiia, Muls. and Verr., Glass. Troch. (18G5), p. 36. 



Ariana, Mcls., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn, i, p. 315. 



Myletes, Muls., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch., torn, i, p. 284. 



Saucerottia, Bon., Cotnpt. Rend., p. 381 (1850). 



Erythronota, Gould, Intr. Troch., octavo ed., p. 160 (1861). 

 Eratopis, Heine, Journ. flir Ornith. (1863), p. 191. 

 Erasuria, Heine, Journ. fur Ornith. (1863), p. 191. 

 Lisoria, Muls., Cat. Ois. Mouch. (1875), p. 11. 



Ch. Bill as long as the head, slightly 

 curved ; broad at base, graduating to an 

 acute point. Feathers of forehead not 

 projecting on to the culmen. Nostrils 

 exposed, covered by a scale. Wings 

 rather long, pointed. Tail even or slightly 

 forked. Tarsi clothed. Sexes alike. 



Range. Mexico, Central America, Tres 

 Marias Islands, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. 



Type. 

 0. amazi'li, Less. 

 O. amazili, Less.? 

 O. amazili. Less. 

 0. amazili. Less. 

 T. niveiventris, Gould. 

 A. ocai, Gould. 

 0. cinnamomea, Less. 

 T. todurus, Heine. 

 T. niveiventris, Gould. 

 T. fuscicaudatus, Fras. 

 T. yucatanensis, Cabot. 



10. erythronota, Lesi!. 

 T. saucerottii, Bourc. 

 0. erythronota, Less. 

 T. cyanifrons, Bourc. 

 E. elegans, Gould. 

 E. warszewiczi, Cab. 



Fig. 116. 



Jimnziiin jiristina. 5. Peru. Bourcier. 



Twenty-four species are here recognized as belonging to this genus. 



I can find no generic characters by which the species, that have been placed under Amazilia, 

 Pyrrhophsena, Erythronota, Saucerottia, Hemithylaca, Hemistilbon, etc., can be separated or dis- 

 tinguished. Even those authors, wlio consider that the color of the plumage alone is sufficient to 

 constitute a genus, have not been able to arrange the birds, here kept in the one genus Amazilia, fo 

 as to make the members of each of their groups similar in coloration. Thus the Pyrrhophsenx 83 

 restricted by Gould in the Introduction to the Trochilidaa do not all have metallic breasts (witness 

 P. cinr\amomca); nor do the Erylhronotae all liave red backs (vide E. felicise) ; which last species, 

 although closely allied to E. antiqua, Gould, is almost identical in its coloration with species of 

 Saucerottia; while Hemithylaca cyanifrons has only its blue head to present as a claim for generic 

 distinction. — M. Mulsant, who has carried the generic divisions of this Family to a far greater extent 

 than any otlier author, and whose characters are almost entirely those of color, has not been successful 

 in the separations of his groups, as his Amazilia; do not all have white and red breasts (vide cinna- 

 momea and graysoni), but are a mixture of species with non-metallic and metallic coloring of the 

 body; in Leucodora he has placed with edwardi and niveiventris, the T. no7-rissii, Bourc, which 

 lias the coloration of Agyrtria, and apparently belongs to that genus ; and with Ariana (!) he has 

 grouped together such species as fuscicaudata, Fras., and erythronota and cyanifrons (\). It will 

 thus be seen that when color is taken as the generic guide, it is impossible to make a satisfactory 

 arrangement, unless, indeed, the group is still farther divided until there would be almost as many 

 genera as species. Believing, therefore, that there are already far too many genera instituted for 

 this especial group of birds, I have preferred to keep them all under the one genus Amazilia. 



