194 GENERA AND SPECIES 



Bill straight, plumed at the base; tail, ap-| 

 parently consisting of four filamentous feathers, | 

 terminating in an abrupt racket-shaped disk of 

 long barbules ; the central tail-feathers, (for the 

 number is really normal,) are rudimentary and 

 concealed. One species of this genus is re- 

 corded. 



Trochilus mirabilis, Loddiges, described by M. I 

 Bourcier in Proceeds. Zool. Soc. 1847. 



Adult male. Beak black, straight, cylindri- 

 cal, feathered at the base ; top of the head, with 

 an oval space of brilliant light blue ; shoulders, 

 back of the neck, back and upper tail-coverts, 

 golden-greyish green ; gorget, intensely brilliant 

 green, with blue reflexions in the centre, and 

 terminating in a point on the chest ; from this 

 is continued a band of black feathers, relieved 

 by golden reflexions, extending to the lower part 

 of the abdomen ; sides of the neck and flanks, 

 white; wings, somewhat incurved, of a violet- 

 grey. The tail appears only to consist of four 

 feathers, the others being rudimentary and non- 

 apparent. These external feathers are in the 

 form of long filaments, describing a demi-circle, 

 and destitute of a vane for the greater part of 

 their length, but they terminate in a long 

 rounded vane resembling a racket. Their colour 

 is violet black ; they cross at their base and 

 towards their centre, representing the letter C 

 repeated and opposed one letter against the 

 other. The central tail-feathers are narrow and 



