330 EEPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1890, 



and lateral feathers not lengthened ; chest dull grayish white ; rest of 

 under parts dull light bronzy green, nearly nniform on sides and flanks, 

 elsewhere broken by wliitish margins to the feathers, these particularly 

 distinct on the lower tail-co^erts and along middle line of the belly. 

 Bill black, feet dusky. Length (skin), 3.40 ; wing, 1.85 ; tail, 1.30 ; mid- 

 dle pair of rectrices 0.25 shorter, the lateral one only 0.15 wide in mid- 

 dle portion.* 



Whether this bird represents a distinct species or a hybrid between 

 Trochilus alcxandri and Galypte anna or between the foraier and Calb- 

 thorax Uicifer can not now be determined; but there is very little, if 

 anything, in the writer's opinion to give the hybrid theory any weight. 

 In hybrids between species showing very obvious differences of form or 

 coloration, the characters are invariably intermediate between those of 

 the two pareuts ; but only in the shape and coloration of the tail and 

 coloration of the under parts do we see any approach to C. amui in those 

 respects which distinguish the present bird from T. alcxandri. Mr. 

 Jeffries says that "the bird is roughly a T. anna without a crown-patch 

 or ruff, and with violet [?j for sapphire ['^].t The tail is of the same type 

 as in T. anna, but smaller, and the angle spoken of | is less than 25° 

 instead of 33^, so that in the closed tail tlie outer pair of feathers 

 overlap instead of crossing as in T. anna.'' 



As to the shape of the lateral rectrices, which Dr. Jeffries compares 

 ■with that of C. anna, I find on very careiul comparison that there is no 

 essential difference in this respect between T. violajugulum and T. al- 

 exandri, as the following diagrams (Fig. 47, page 331) will show: 



The outer primary, instead of being narrow and slightly curved, as 

 in Galypte anna, is broader (though perhaps not relatively so) than in 

 Trochilus alcxandri, and quite as strongly curved towards the tip. 



After a very careful examination of the type, I am able to find a really 

 striking or "suggestive" resemblance to C. anna only in the coloration 

 of the under parts, which, except the gorget, is quite the same in the 



than in the color itself, while there are also characteristic differences in the varia- 

 tions of color depending on difterent positions as to the light. ThnsJi/Ziis has 

 a distinct green retiection in a certain light, whereas Cali/pte and Calothorax in the 

 same light show violet-blue. T. alexandri is much less brilliant and less changeable, 

 but the individual variation is probably greater, the variation being from the nor- 

 mal violet through blue to a decided blue-green hue in some specimens, though sucli 

 are rare. In T. violujmjuhim the gorget is a redder purple tiian in any of the preced- 

 ing, nearly matching in color the gorget of some examples of /SieZ/u^rt calliope, though 

 not quite so red. 



* The tip of the bill having been shot away, the length of the culmen can not be 

 given; the length of tiie bill from the base of the culmcn to the tip of the lower 

 mandible, however, is 0.G8 of an inch. 



t We should as little think of calling the color of the throat in T. riolajitgtihtm " vi- 

 olet" as we wouLl tho rich metallic purple-red of C. anna "sapphire." 



t In Dr. Jefi'ries description of the outer pair of tail-feathers of C. anna these are 

 said to be " abruptly narrow and linear shafts *■ » * forming, at the junction of 

 the first and second third, an abrupt angle of 25°." 



