Genera of /i iiinniiinr Birds. 87 



Rancre. — Venezuela, C\)lumbia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and 

 Argentine Republic. 



Type: Lesbia, Less, Int. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Genre 

 Trochilus, 1832, p. 17. 



Genus XLIII. Zodalia, Muls., Hist. Nat. Ois. AIou., 

 1875, t. iii., p. 281. 

 T\"PK : Zodalia ortoni, Lawrence. 

 Bill straight, shorter than the head. Tail long, deeply 

 forked, feathers broad throughout their length. 

 Habitat. — Ecuador. 



*iig. ZOD.ALI.A ORTONI, Lawr., Ann. N.Y. Lye. Nat. Hist., 

 i86g. Vol. ix., p. 269. 



Quito Piirpleback, Gould, Mon. Troch., Suppl., p. 54. 



La Zodalie d'Orton, Muls., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mou., 1876, 

 t. iii., p. 282. 



Habitat. — Quito (Ecuador.) 



Male. — Entire upper plumage and wing coverts of a rich 

 glossy purple, the concealed bases of the feathers are green. 

 Uppertail-coverts similar in colour to the back, but marked 

 centrally between the purple and green with crimson. Tail 

 brownish-black except the tw^o central ones which are green ; 

 the ends of the eight middle tail feathers are largely marked 

 with a deep vinous bronzy-crimson, most in extent on the 

 short central feathers, the long outer feather on each side 

 ends with obscure bronzy-green ; the outer edge of lateral 

 feather is bui^ for three-quarters of its length from base, this 

 colour occupying only about one third of the web. The 

 undersurface ot the tail is steel-blue, bronzy at the ends of 

 the feathers ; the shafts of the two long lateral feathers are 

 whitish at base for about half their length. Wings brownish- 

 purple. Throat brilliant metallic pale green. Sides of neck, 

 breast, upper part of abdomen and flanks shining green, lower 

 part of abdomen ashv-buff. Bill and feet black. 



Total length, 5fin. Wing, 2\. Tail, 3^-^. Bill, \. 



Female. — Unknown. 



This species was discovered bv the well-known collector, 

 Orton, and it was dedicated to him by Mr. Lawrence. The 

 above description was taken from the Annal's New York 

 Lyceum of Natural History. 



