468 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Genus THAUMATIAS, Bonap. 



Gen. Char. Very similar in general form to Heliopcedica, but the tail emarginated, 

 instead of rounded, the feathers narrower and less rounded at the ends. The coloration 

 quite diflfei'ent. Sexes alike, in all the species. Color nearly uniform green, with the 

 anal region white, the wings and tail dusky. Many species with the whole lower parts, 

 except laterally, pure white. One species (T. chionurus) with the tail white, except the 

 ends of the feathers and the intermediae. 



The species are all of ratlier small size and rather plain appearance, from 

 the uniformity of their green, or green and white, coloring. They belong to 

 northern South America, and to Central America north to Guatemala. 



The genus is included in the North American fauna solely upon the 

 accidental occurrence of one species {T. linncci) in Eastern Massachusetts. 



Thaumatias linnsei, Bonap. 



IINN^US'S EMERALD. 



Thaumatias linncei, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, 255. Thaumatias I. Gould, 

 Monog. Trochilid. pi. 1 Trochilus tobaci, Gmel. Syst. Nat. I, 498. ? Trochilus tdba- 

 gensis. Lath. Ind. Orn. I, 316. ? Trochilus tobago, Shaw, Gen. Zool. viii, 350. Or- 

 nismya viridissima, Less. Hist. Nat. 257, pi. Ixxv. 1 L' Oiscau-mouche a poitrine verte 

 {Trochilus maculatus), AuD. et Vieill. Ois. Dor. torn. I, 87, pi. xliv. Argxjrtria 

 maculata, Maynard, Birds E. Mass. 1870, 128 (Cambridge, Mass.!). 



Sp. Char. Continuous green, darker above, more brilliant, and of an emerald tint on 

 the throat and jugulum ; crissum, anal region, and middle of the abdomen, white. 

 Primaries plain dusky. Tail blackish, with a faint reflection of dark blue subterminally, 

 and of dull green basally, the lateral feathers obscurely tipped with dull dark ashy. 

 Sexes alike. Wing, about 2.00 ; bill, .70. 



Hab. Northern Brazil, Guiana, Tobago, and Bogota (Gould) ? ? Accidental in the 

 eastern United States (Cambridge, Mass., Maynard). 



This race much resembles the T. alhimntris, (Reichenb.) Bonap. (Gould, 

 Monog. Troch., Vol. V, p. ccci ), of Brazil, but is said to be smaller and with 

 less white on the abdomen and the under tail-coverts tinged with gray. 



Habits. The single specimen of this Humming-Bird, referred to by both 

 Mr. Maynard and Mr. Allen ^ as having been taken in Massachusetts, is said 

 to have been shot by Mr. William Brewster in the summer of 1868, in Cam- 

 bridge, near Mount Auburn. It was secured by accident, and was presumed 

 to be, when taken, a female specimen of Trochilus colubris. It was sent to 

 Mr. Vickary, of Lynn, to be mounted, and the question has been raised if 

 by chance a South American bird may not have been substituted for the 

 original. This, however, Mr. Vickary is positive could not have happened. 

 Nothing distinctive was observed as to its habits. In view, however, of the 

 possibility of an error, the propriety of including it in our fauna is very 

 questionable. 



1 Am. Naturalist, 1869-70. 



