Genera of Humming Birds. 305 



rump. Four median rectrices bronzy-green, dark at lips, 

 laterals bronze-green with a broad subterminal black bar and 

 white tips on inner webs. Spot behind the eye, and line from 

 mandible to end of ear-coyerts white. Ear-coverts brownish- 

 black. Chin black. Throat metallic scarlet in some specimens, 

 in others metallic rubi. Underside dark gray, washed with 

 pale green on sides of breast and on flanks. Line in the 

 centre of abdomen, vent, and tuft on flanks white. Under- 

 tail-coverts olive-brown margined with white. Wings purplish- 

 brown. Bill black. 



Total length, 5|in. Wing, 2|. Tail, i^i. Culmen, if. 



Female. — Upperside like the male, with all the lateral and 

 outermost rectrices tipped with white. Chin and throat 

 brownish-black, and the lower part mel;.llic crimson, all the 

 feathers tipped with gray. Underside like the male, but of a 

 lighter gray. 



Total length, 4fin. Wing, 2f. Tail, \\. Culmen, i|. 



This rare species was probably discovered in Guatemala, 

 by Delattre. 



1 have collected some specimens in Mexico, and in Costa- 

 Rica, where it is rare. I have also two specimens from 

 Guatemala. As it is easy to see, the description of mv female 

 specimen, which I collected at San Jose, Costa-Rica, in 1877, 

 corresponds exactly to the description of H. leocardiae. 

 For me, there is only one species which varies greatly in the 

 colouring of throat, according to age and sex. 



FAMILY XIII. HEMISTEPHANIDAE, 



OR Family of Lance-Bill Humming Birds. 



Size small. Bill long, straight and slender, slightly upturned 

 in the shape of a lance, and feebly serrated. Wing narrow 

 and short. Tail short and rounded. Forehead of males 

 glittering. Sexes unlike. 



Type : Heniistephania, Elliot, Syn. Troch., p. 81. 



Range. — Veragua, Colombia, Venezuela, Guiana, Ecuador, 

 and Bolivia. 



Genus CXXV. Hemistephania, Reich., Aufz. derColib., 



1859, p. 9. 



