Genera of Hiomning Birds. 207 



tail-coverts whicli are dark steel blue, the under-coverts 

 fringed with gray. 



Total length, S^in. Wing, 2\. Tail, i\. Bill, \. 



The type of this species is in the British Museum. 



FAMILY IX. HELIANGELIDAE, 



OR Family of Sun-Angel Humming Birds. 



Size from small in the genus Steganiira to large in the 

 genera Panoplites, Clytolaema, and Topaza. Bill of medium 

 size, curv£d or straight, excepting in the genus Lnfres7taya, 

 in which it is long. Sheath of both maxilla and mandible 

 smooth. Nasal covers partly exposed. Wings long and 

 narrow, reaching nearly the end of tail. Outermost primary 

 in the genera Lafresnaya and Aglaeactis very narrow. Tail 

 more or less forked. In the genera Erebenna, Aglaeactis, 

 and Lafresnaya the outermost rectrices are acutely pointed 

 and curving inwardly. In Steganura they are long and 

 ending with spatules. Tibiae more or less clothed, as in 

 many of the species of the preceding family. In many 

 species the tibiae are so enveloped with downy feathers that 

 I was inclined to make a special family of them ; but after 

 careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that it 

 was better not to do so. Throat usually brilliant. Sexes 

 usually unlike but not always. 



Type: Heliangelus, Gould, Int. Troch., 1861, p. 132. 



Range — Mexico to Bolivia and South Brasilia. 



Genus LXXXIII. Margarochrysis, Reich., Aufz der, 

 Colib, 1854, p. II. 



POLYPLANETA, Heine, Journ. fur Ornith., 1863, p. 182. 

 Type : T. laurescens, Gould. 



Bill short, stout and straight, slightly longer than the head. 

 Nostrils covered by frontal plumes. \Vings long, narrow and 

 pointed, reaching nearly the end of tail. Tail short, slightly 

 forked. Rectrices narrow. Median shortest, the next one 

 slightly longer, the rest slightly longer than the last one, and 

 of the same length. Tarsi partly clothed. Sexes unlike ia 

 colouration of plumage. 



Habitat — Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. 



