298 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890. 



cealiug the nostrils or else permittiug them to be seen ouly as a narrow 

 slit beneath the lower edge of the feathering. 



Fig. 13.— Head of Hylocharis sapphirin%, show- Fig.14— .Head of Eugeniaimpercitrix, abowing dense 

 iiig naked nostrils, with overiianging mem- feathering over nostrils, 



brane. 



Variations in the form of the wing. — As already stated (see page 289), 

 the first primary is invariably the longest, except in two genera, Aithu- 

 rus, in which it is decidely shorter than the second, and Atthis, in 

 which the first and second are about the same length. 



Fig. 15.— Wing Aithurus polytmus. 



Fig. 16.— Wing oi Rijlonympha macroccrca. 



Usually, the outer primary is not different in shape from the second ; 

 but occasionally it is quite different, as in the genera Lafresnaya and 

 Agwlactis., in which it is very narrow for the entire length, the tip 



Fig. 17.— Wing oi Atthis ellioti. 



Fig. l^.—Prim^Tien of Selasplior lit, platijcen(S. (Under 

 .sido showing peculiar form of first aud second 

 quills.) 



curved inward or upward; and in certain species of Selasphorus, in 

 which the tip is contracted and curved outward, as shown in the ac- 

 companying diagrams: 



Fig. 19. — Wing oi Lafresnaya Jlavicaudata. 



Fig. 20— Wing of Aglceactis cnpTcipennis. (Under side, showing very narrow outer quill.) 



