HUMMING-BIRDS. 443 



forked tails. Cyanophaia cceruleigularis differs somewhat from others in this group 

 of genera by having a violet-blue throat and cheek. About eighteen species are 

 included in the four genera named. 



The next four genera are composed of species clothed in blue and metallic green. 

 They are Hylocharis^ lacke, Damophila and Juliamyia, and are represented in 

 Mexico, Central America, and portions of South America. Hylocharis cyanea from 

 Brazil, with the head, throat, and breast shining dark blue with violet reflections, 

 builds a most beautiful nest, which is attached to a tendril of some vine, and is cup- 

 shaped and composed of a white, cottony, substance, intermingled with seeds of 

 thistle-down, coated with dried leaves and bound together with cobwebs, all decorated 

 with woody fibres, inner coating of bark of trees, and other materials. These nests, 

 however, are not always alike, seemingly the fancy of each individual builder having 

 much to do with the choice of materials for the construction and adornment of these 

 fairy dwellings. The eggs are always two, and pure white, as is the case with all 

 species of humming-birds. Another allied species, If. sapphirina has a remarkable 

 red-colored fleshy bill much dilated at the base. 



Three genera, Timolia, Eucephala, and Basilinna, with twelve species, have 

 metallic green and blue plumage, the females very differently clothed from the males, 

 as is indeed the case with those of most of the species belonging to the genera thus far 

 enumerated. Perhaps the finest species of the three genera mentioned is Eucephala 

 grayi, with the whole head and chin shining deep blue, rest of body golden green. 

 It comes from Ecuador. Amazilia has twenty-five species, birds of various styles of 

 plumage. Some have breast of metallic hues, others have this part plain rufous ; 

 some have red backs, while others again have the abdomen pure white. They are 

 natives of Mexico, Central America, Tres Marias Island, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, 

 one species, A. niveiventris, having been procured in Panama. Two species from 

 Guatemala, Costa Rica, and the islands of Tres Marias, A. cinnamomea and A. graysoni 

 differ from all the rest by having the entire under surface bright cinnamon color. 



The genus Polytmus^ with three species, stands somewhat isolated among the Tro- 

 chilidas. Their tails are rounded, with narrow, somewhat pointed, rectrices ; entirely 

 metallic green in two species ; in the other, with basal portion white. They are scat- 

 tered throughout South America. The two species of Elvira have the greater portion 

 of the tail white, a very unusual feature among the Trochilida3. Argytria is one 

 of the most extensive genera, as regards the number of species, in the family. They 

 are birds of moderate size and of a pleasing plumage, the chief colors of which are 

 green and white. Uranomitra has some species with very brilliant metallic green and 

 blue hues upon the head and upper surface, and also certain ones possess bright red 

 bills. The genus Panterpe contains one very beautiful species, P. insignis, from 

 Costa Rica and Chiriqui. With the crown and breast rich blue, the throat is metallic 

 scarlet, bordered with luminous yellowish green. It is one of the most brilliant birds 

 of this portion of the family. 



The genus Eriocnemis, with about eighteen species, is remarkable for the color- 

 ing of the lower part of the back in the different species, and the downy puffs which 

 cover and completely conceal the tarsi, sometimes the entire feet. The metallic colors 

 are golden-green, blue, bronze, and others of similar brilliancy, while the general hues 

 of the species are dark gray, green, coppery-red, and purplish-black. The downy 

 puffs on the legs are black, white, pale buff, or brown and white. The species are of 

 moderate size, rather robust form, with straight, strong bills, and long wings. A very 



