GENERA AND SPECIES. 195 



pointed, and of a glossy pale green ; feet black, 

 naked. 

 Locality : Chachapoyas, Peru. 



Genus SPATHUBA, Q-ould, (Platurus, in part, 

 Lesson). In some respects, as regards the 

 form of the tail, this genus is allied to Loddi- 

 gesia, but not as regards the feet. 



The genus Spathura is peculiar to the Cordil- 

 leras. The tarsi are enshrouded in a large muff 

 of fine down, varying in colour from white to 

 rufous ; the tail is deeply bifid, the outer 

 feather on each side being elongated, and run- 

 ning into a setaceous filament, but ending in a 

 somewhat oval expanse or palette ; the feet are 

 minute ; bill straight and slender ; wings, small 

 and delicate ; throat, gorgeous green. The 

 females are plain and have the chest spotted ; 

 and the tail is squared and short, or slightly 

 bifid. The tarsi have muffs, varying in fulness. 



These birds during flight continually open and 

 shut the tail fan wise, and the spatulate ends of 

 the outer feathers in the male are in a state of 

 continual vibration. These birds are commonly 

 termed Racket-tails. 



The type of this genus is Ornismya (Spa- 

 thura) Underwoodii, Lesson; the Rough-legged 

 Racket-tailed Humming-bird, described and 

 igured in the Naturalist's Lib. Ornith. vol. ii. 

 p. 110, pi. 22. The tarsal muffs are not suf- 

 ficiently voluminous and downy as represented 



