TROCHILID.E — THE HUMMING-BIRDS. 439 



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

 exceedingly doubti'ul evidence of the occurrence of L. mamjo, which was 

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

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

 Jamaican form (Z. porphp-ura, Gould), \\\m\\ might possibly have straggled 

 there. 



In rel'erence to the large number of species of Trochilida', it may be well 

 to remark that many differ by very slight, sometimes (piite inai)prL'ciable 

 characters, and are to be looked on as only climatic or geograpliical varieties. 

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



Additional species of Trochilida; will doubtless yet be detected witliin 

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

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

 Calyptejloresi, Calotliorax cyanopocjon, etc. South Florida will probably yet 

 furnish to us the Bahaman Doricha evclynw. 



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

 the genera : — 



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

 narrow. 



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

 bowed, or eurvpd inward at the end. 



Stellula. Tail deeply cinarKinatcd in $, somewhat doubly rounded in 

 9 , but outer leather not longest ; the feathers sjjatulate ; outer primary 

 very strongly bowed, and very broad at end. f. Gorget feathers 

 linear, mueli elongated ; only their terminal halfuolored; crown green 

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

 longer tlian the external, instead of shorter. 



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

 ated toward tips; doubly roimded in 9 , '^nd broader ; outer primary 

 strongly bowed, Ijut narrow at end. $. (iorget feathers broad, short, 

 squamatc ; colored blue or crimson to their bases. Crown green like 

 th(! liack. 



Calypte. Tail as in D-nchihis, hnt the external feather abruptly nar- 

 rower than tlii next, with its edges nearly parallel. Outer primary as 

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

 Female like that of Ti-ochilus. 



b. Tail rounded or graduated, an<l variegated in the male. Outer primary 

 only slightly bowed, and narrow at end, except in 9 "f Attliis. 



SelasphoruB. Tail graduated in the ^, the feathers attenuated 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 with tail less 

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

 and not attenuated and turned outward at end. 



Attbia. Sexes alike in form. Tail rounded ; outer primaiy bowed at 

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

 orly and laterally ; tail-feathers tipped with white. 



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



