448 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



much smaller, more linear, and nearly equal in width (about that of inner 

 web of the fourth), so that the interval between the fifth and fourth is from 

 two to five times as great as that between the fifth and sixth. The inner 

 web of these reduced primaries is also emarginated at the end. This char- 

 acter is even sometimes seen in the females, but to a less extent, and may 

 serve to distinguish both coluhris and alexandri from other allied species 

 where other marks are obscured. 



The following diagnosis will serve to distinguish the species found in the 

 United States : — 



Common Characters. Above and on the sides metallic green. A ruff of 

 metallic feathers from the bill to the breast, behind which is a whitish collar, 

 confluent with a narrow abdominal stripe ; a white spot behind the eye. Tail- 

 feathers without light margins. 



Tail deeply forked (.30 of an inch). Throat bright coppery-red from the 

 chin. Tail of female rounded, emarginated ..... T. coluhris. 



Larger. Tail slightly forked (.10 of an inch). Throat gorget with violet, 

 steel, green, or blue reflections behind ; anteriorly opaque velvety-black. 

 Tail of female graduated ; scarcely emarginated .... T. alexandri. 



Trochilus colubris, Linn^us. 



RTJBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 



Trochilus coluhris, Linn. Syst. Nat. \, 1766, 191. — Wilson, Am. Oni. II, 1810, 26, pi. 

 X. — AuD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 248, pi. xlvii. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 190, pi. 

 ccliii. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 131. —Max. Cab. J. VI, 154. —Samuels, 111. 

 — Allen, B. Fla. 301. Ornisyma colubris, Deville, Rev. et Mag. Zool. May, 1852 

 (habits). Trochilus atcreigaster, Lawrence (alcoholic specimens). 



Sp. Char. Tail in the male deeply forked ; the feathers all narrow lanceolate-acute. 

 In the female slightly rounded and emarginate ; the feathers broader, though pointed. 

 Male, uniform metallic green above ; a ruby-red gorget (blackish near the bill), with no 

 conspicuous ruff; a white collar on the jugulum ; sides of body greenish; tail-feathers 

 uniformly brownish-violet. Female, without the red on the throat ; the tail rounded 

 and emarginate, the inner feathers shorter than the outer ; the tail-feathers banded with 

 black, and the outer tipped with white ; no rufous or cinnamon on the tail in either sex. 

 Length, 3.25; wing, 1.60; tail, 1.25; bill, .65. Young males are like the females; the 

 throat usually spotted, sometimes with red ; the tail is, in shape, more like that of the old 

 male. 



Hab. Eastern North America to the high Central Plains ; south to Brazil. Localities : 

 Cordova (Scl. P. Z. S, 1856, 288) ; Guatemala (Scl. Ibis, I, 129) ; Cuba (Cab. J. IV, 

 98 ; Gundl. Rep. I, 1866, 291) ; S. E. Texas (Dresser, Ibis, 1865, 470, breeds) ; Veragua 

 (Salv. p. Z. S. 1870, 208). 



The Trochilus aureigaster {aureigida ?) of Lawrence, described from an 

 alcoholic specimen in the Smithsonian collection, differs in having a 

 green throat, becoming golden towards the chin. It is quite probable, how- 

 ever, that the difference is the result of immersion in spirits. 



The red of the throat appears paler in some Mexican and Guatemalan 



