TR0CH1LID.E — THE HL'MML\(i-IUKD8. 405 



Atthis heloisa, Less, ^nc Dkl. 



HELOISA'S HUHMINQ-BIBO. 



Omysmya heloisa, Lesson k Dklattuk, Ufv. Zoijl. 183S, ir» (Xalapa). MiJn'smju kdnlsn, 

 (.JUAY & MiTciiKLL, CJeii. Birds, I, 11:3. Trinilui'iia keluisa, IJonai'. Consj.. Tum h. 

 Rev. Mag. Zoi>l. 1854, 257. Sihi.sphortis hrlnisa^ CJoULD, Mttu. Tioiliil. Ill, |)1. ixli. 

 Atthis heloisa:, Hkich. Cab. Jour, extrahoft, 1853, App, 12. — (It'n.n, Introd. Trodiil. 

 1861, 89. — Elliot, Ilhust. liinls N. Am. 1, xxi, xii, plate. — Coui-ku, Om. ( al. 1, 

 1870, 361. 



Sp. Char. Male. Above inotallio prreen with iroldon rcfleotions; beneath white; the si<l(\> 

 of breast glossed with prreen; the flanks with nifbns. which tincres theerissnm vt-rv faintly- 

 gorget brilliant violet or light purplish-red, bordered behind l>y clear white. All the tail- 

 feathers rufous-cinnamon for basal half ; the three outer black centrally and tippe<l with 

 white (mixed with reddish on the third); the fourth green, centrally tij>ped witii lilack: 

 the central entirely green for the exposcil i)ortion, perhaps gl(>sse<l with blarki>;h at the 

 end. Length, 2.70; wing, Loo; tail, l.oo; exposed part of lull above. .4"). Femnlf. 

 Outer primary not attenuated. Coloi-s similai' to male, wanting the metallic gorget: the 

 feathers spotted with dusky; crissum and Hanks n^.ore rufous; innermost tail-feathers 

 entirely green; othev feathers as in male, but with the central black encroaching on the 

 basal rufous; third and fourth feathers tipped with reddish-white. 



Hab. Southern New Mexico and Texas, to. Guatemala. 



The introduction of tliis species into the fauna of tlie rnitod States is 

 based on a female specimen collected by Mr. J. H. Chiik at Kl Paso. Tt^xas, 

 and for a time supposed to be Sf/rf.y thorns riifus, Imt after a careful cxaiuina- 

 tioii by Mr. T^awrence, pronounced to belono to this species. Its range is 

 southward alon«x the liifjldands to (Guatemala. 



The species is very niucli like Sf/((Sj)Iiortis in shape, and hardly dillcrs 

 more than S. riifiui and phdncercux do from each other. The male is easily 

 distinu:uished from its allies ; the females are closelv related to those of 

 rufus, diflerinjx in much shorter bill (.3r> to .1)5), much less rufous on the 

 more nearly even tail, with broader fesithers, etc. 



Habits. This species chiims a ])lace within the fauuii of Nortli Auierica, 

 })robably only as an accidental visitor, on the ground of a siniile specimen, — 

 a female, taken by Mr. J. H. Clark at YA Paso, Texas. It was at hrst mis- 

 taken for Sdaspliorusi rvfna. It is a Mexican and Central AmcMican species, 

 mn^inij throu«diout the hiiihlands at least as far to the south as (Juatemala, 

 where it was taken by ^Ir. Salvin. 



It was first discovered on the hiohlands of Mexico 1)V Mr. Ikdattre, who 

 procured his specimens between eJalapa and Quatepu. It is cre})uscular in 

 its habits, collecting its food only in the morning or in the evening. ]\Ir. 

 Delattre states that the male bird is known to rise verv earlv in the morji 

 ing, and is never seen in quest of food later than nine in the forenoon. It 

 very seldom goes to any distance from its mate or young, seeming to prefer 

 to frcijuent the flowers in the edge of f(u-ests, but does not disdain those of 

 the open fields. Mr Salvin received sj)ecimens of this sjtecies taken in a 



VOL. n. ,")!> 



