Genera of Hinn^ning Birds. 343 



FAMILY XVI. OREOTROCHILIDAE. 



OR Family of Hill Star Humming Birds. 



Size large. Bill slender, short, and curved. Sheath of 

 both maxilla and mandible smooth. Nasal covers completely 

 hidden. Wings narrow and long. Rectrices very narrow. 

 Throat, and crown metallic in the males of the genus 

 Oreotrochiliis. In the new genus, Alcidiiis, the throat 

 only is metallic. Female dull. 



Type : Oreotrochilus, Gould, P.Z.S., 1847, P- ^o. 



, Ranpe. — Ecuador. 



Genus CXXXVII. Oreotrochilus, Gould, P.Z.S., 1847, 



p. 10. 



Oreotrochilus, Gould, Int. Trochilidae, p. 62. 

 Oreotrochilus, Cab. and Hein, Mus. Hein., i860, t. iii., 

 P- 15- 



Type : O. chtmborazoj Delattre and Bourcier. 



Bill almost cylindrical and slightly incurved, about the 

 length of the head. Wings rather long and powerful. Tail 

 large, the feathers narrow and rigid ; rectrices of the same 

 length, excepting the outermost ones, which are slightly 

 longer. Feet strong. Tarsi clothed, hind toe and nail about 

 the same length as the middle toe and nail. Throat and head 

 luminous in males, females unadorned. 



Habitat. — Ecuador. 



465. Oreotrochilus chimborazo, Delattre and Bourc, 

 Rev. Zool., 1846, p. 305. 



Chimborazian Hill Star, Gould, Mon. Troch., vol. ii., p. 68. 



rOrotrochile du Chi?nborazo, Muls., Hist. Nat. Ois. Mou., 

 1876, t. ii., p. 167. 



Habitat. — Volcano of Chimborazo, Ecuador. 



Male. — Head crlitterina; metallic dark-blue with violet re- 

 flections. Upperside olive-bronzy-green, each feather on rump 

 and uppertail-coverts margined with gray. Median rectrices 

 dark bronze-green, laterals white, margined on outer webs 

 with brownish-black, outermost ones white at base, rest 



