85 



October 13, 1846. 



■VVilliam Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The follovving papers were read to the Society : — 



" On twenty new species of Trochilid^ or Humming Birds." 

 By J. Gould, F.R.S. r c ^ x, 



Having lately turned my attention to the Trochihdee, I find that, 

 much as this beautiful group has attracted the notice of previous 

 ■vvriters, several species remain undescribed. 



At a former meeting of the Society 1 characterized three, and on 

 the present occasion I propose to describe seventeen others, making 

 twenty in all. The species described are contained in my own col- 

 lection. 



1. Trochilus (topazą) pyra. Troch. ahdomine, lateribus.dorso, 

 humerisgue, igneis rubro-fulgentibus ; capite, auribus, nuchd, et 

 fascid inferiorem collum ornante, intense airis ; guld luminose vi- 

 ridi, medid aurantiacd ; rectricibus intermediis duabus viridibus. 

 purpurascentibus, relicuis autem intense purpureis ; rectricibus 

 duabus intermediis proximts valde elongatis et ad bases decussatis. 

 Abdomen, sides, back, and shoulders, luminous fiery-red ; head, 

 ear-coverts, back of the neck, and a band crossing the lower part of 

 the neck. deep velvety black ; throat luminous pale green, passmg 

 into rich orange in the centre ; two centre tail-feathers purplish 

 green, the remainder deep purple, the feather on each side the cen- 

 tre ones much-elongated and crossing each other near the base; 

 upper tail-coverts luminous light green with red reflexions ; under 

 tail-coverts luminous green ; primaries purplish brown; biU black; 

 feet blackish brown. 



Totai length from the tip of the bill to the end of the centre tail- 

 feather, 6 inches ; to the end of the elongated feathers, 8| ; bill, 1^ ; 

 wing, Z\ ; tail, 2f , of the elongated feathers, 4|. 

 Hab. Kio Negro, Brazil. 



Remark.—l consider this to be without exception the most gor- 

 geous species of the Trochilidae yet discovered. It is somewhat 

 larger than, but of precisely the šame form as, T. pella, which fine 

 species it far exceeds in the brilliancy of its colouring, and from 

 which it is at once distinguished by the fiery lustre of its body and 

 the purplish colouring of its tail-feathers. 



2. Trochilus (lksbia) smaragdinus. Troch. vertice fulgente yi- 

 ridi; guld nitente cceruled; caudd perlongd, furcatd.fulgentisstmd 

 metallice viridi ; pogoniis rectricum externarum utrisąue ad basin 

 et internis religuarum pogoniis nigris. 



No. CLXIV. — Proceedings of the Zoological Society. 



