12 Genera of Humming Birds. 



Genus VI. Atthis, Reich, Aufz. der Colib., 1853, p. 12. 

 Type : O. Heioise, Lesson and Delattre. 



Bill about as long as the head, straight, rather flat on 

 culmen. Wings nearly as long as the tail, which is rounded 

 and short. Feathers of the throat much elongated. 

 Habitat'. Mexico, Guatemala. 



16. Atthis Helois^, Less. &Delatt, Rev. Zool., 1839, p. 15. 



Mellisuga heloisce. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. i., p. 113. 



Tryphaena heloiscB, Bon. Rev. and Mag. Zool., 1854, p. 257. 



Selasphorus heloisce, Gould, Mon. Troch., vol. iii , p. 141, 



Heloisa's Flame-bearer, Gould, Mon. Troch., vol. iii., p. 141. 



V Atthis d' Heioise, Muls., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mouch, vol. iv., p. 91. 



Male. — Upperside shining golden-green. Throat metallic 

 reddish- violet with purple reflections. Breast, vent and 

 abdomen white. Flanks golden-green. Under tail-coverts 

 buffy-white. Median rectrices shining grass-green, lateral 

 buff at base succeeded by a bar of black tipped with white. 

 Wings purplish-brown, outer primary abruptly attenuated. 

 Bill black. 



Total length, 2|in. Wing, If. Tail, 1. Culmen, \. 



Female. — Upper side golden. green. Throat buffy-white 

 spotted with broAvn nearly golden. Breast and abdomen 

 white. Flanks buff. Upper tail-coverts golden-green. Median 

 rectrices buff with a central bronze green spot on the internal 

 edge, lateral buff at base, then barred slightly with bronze, 

 and succeeded with a broad black band, Avith light buff' 

 tips. 



This beautiful species was discovered in Jalapa (Mexico) 

 by the celebrated naturalist traveller Adolphe Delattre. 

 I have killed many specimens of both sexes at Cordoba and 

 San Andres-Tuxtla (Mexico). 



17. Atthis ellioti, Ridgw, Proceed. U.S.Nat. Mus., 1878, ^. 9. 



Elliofs Flame-bearer. Gould, Suppl. Mon. Troch., p. 44. 



L' Atthis d'EUiot. 



Habitat. — Mexico, Guatemala. 



Male. — Exactly the same as the preceding species, from 

 which it can bo only distinguished by the shape of the first 

 primary, which is not abruptly attenuated. It is scarcely 



