356 Messrs. Salvin and Elliot on the Trochilidse. 



With numerous specimens before us from all the different 

 localities, we do not find that the form named by Mr. Gould 

 T. venusta is separable from the present bird. In the original 

 description T. venusta is compared to T. furcata, from which 

 it certainly differs. But the latter does not appear to be its 

 closest ally. Mr. Gould describes his specimen of T. venusta, 

 from the volcano of Chiriqui, as having the head, neck, and 

 back a " beautiful shining ultramarine blue/' which renders 

 it " unlike every other member of the genus. In specimens 

 before us from Veragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, we do not 

 find this coloration to exist, but, on the contrary, the back of 

 the neck, behind the blue cap, and the upper portion of the 

 back are black, precisely as in T. colwnbica. There seems to be 

 a slight variation in length of bill ; but this is not confined to 

 any particular locality, as we find examples from the same 

 place possessing bills of different lengths ; so that this can 

 only be looked upon as an individual peculiarity. The range 

 of the species seems to be from N icaragua southward through 

 the Isthmus of Panama into Columbia. 



We have examined the following specimens : — 

 Costa Rica: three (Arce), Mus. S. & G. Veragua: five 

 (Arce), Mus. S. & G. ; one (Arce), Mus. D. G. E. Panama : 

 one (Arce), one (Hughes), three (McLennan), Mus. S.&G. ; 

 one (McLennan), Mus. P. L. S. Columbia: two (Stevens), 

 three (Nelson), Mus. S. & G. ; three, Mus. D. G. E. 



4. Thalurania furcata. 



Trochilus furcatus, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 486. 



Thalurania furcata, Gould, Mon. Troch. vol. ii. pi. 101 ; 

 Intr. Troch. p. 77. 



Hob. Cayenne. 



This species, described long ago by Gmelin, is very distinct 

 from all others of this genus. It is an inhabitant of Guiana, 

 where it is very common, and hundreds of specimens are 

 shipped annually to Europe. 



Our specimens are as follows : — 



Cayenne: one (Edinburgh), Mus. P. L. S.; one (Gould), 

 three (Verreaux), Mus. D. G. E. ; three, Mus. S. & G. 



