TROCHILID^ — THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 



439 



We have included Lampornis in the list of United States genera on 

 exceedingly doubtful evidence of the occurrence of L. manfjo, which was 

 said to have been taken at Key West, and sent to Mr. Audubon, who figured 

 it. The species, however, proves to be one belonging to Brazil, and not the 

 Jamaican form (Z. poiyhyrura^ Gould), which might possibly have straggled 

 there. 



In reference to the large number of species of Trochiliilrr, it may be well 

 to remark that many differ by very sUght, sometimes (piite inappreciable 

 cliaracters, and are to be looked on as only climatic or geographical varieties. 

 All those given for the United States are, however, well marked. 



Additional species of Trochilulcv will doubtless yet be detected "svithin 

 our limits, especially in Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern Texas, where 

 almost any of the Mexican table-land species may be looked for, such as 

 Calyptc Jiorcsi, Calotlwrax cyanoporjon, etc. South Florida will probably yet 

 furnish to us the Bahamaa Doricha crclyncc. 



The following synopsis expresses, perhaps, a more natural arrangement of 

 the genera : — 



A. Nas.ll operculum entirely covered by the frontal feathers; base of the bill 

 narrow. 



a. Tail forked, and unvariegated in the male. Outer primary strongly 

 bowed, or curved inward at the end. 



Stellula. Tail deeply emarginated in ^. somewhat doubly rounded in 

 9 , but outer feather not longest ; the leathers s])atulatc ; outer primary 

 very strongly bowed, and very broad at end. ^. Gorget leathers 

 linear, much elongated ; only their terminal half colored ; crown green 

 like the back. 9 • Similar in form, but the intermediate feathers of tail 

 longer than the external, instead of shorter. 



TrocJiilus. Tail deeply emarginated in the male, the feathers attenu- 

 ated toward tips; doubly rounded iu 9 ? ^i^<l broader ; outer primary 

 strongly bowed, but narrow at end. ^. Gorget leathers broad, short, 

 squamatc ; colored blue or crimson to the "r bases. Crown green lil e 

 the l»aek. 



Calypte. Tail as in Tf'ochiJns, but the external feather abrup' .i- 

 rower than the next, with its edges nearly parallel. Outer p ..ry as 

 in Trochilus. Crown metallic (violet or crimson) like throat. 



Female like that of Ti'ochilus. 



b. Tail rounded or graduated, and variegated in the male, filter primary 

 only slightly bowed, and narrow at end, except in 9 '>f ^1^ <*• 



Selasphorus. Tail graduated in the <J, the leathers Aitiu lated at ends. 

 Outer primary abruptly attenuated, the end turned outwards. Gorget 

 feathers broad, elongated laterally, rose-purple or fire-color; crown 

 green like the back ; tail-feathers edged with rufous. 9 ^^'i^h tail less 

 graduated, and the feathers broader at eiids. Outer primary broader, 

 and not attenuated and turned outward at end. 



Atthis. Sexes alike in form. Tail rounded ; outer primary bowed at 

 end, rather narrow in the ^. Gorget feathers much elongated, posteri- 

 orly and lateralh" ; tail-feathers tipped with white. 



c. Tail rounded, or slightly emarginated, and usually unvariegated in either 



