14 



January 27, 1857. 

 Dr. Gray, F.R.S., in the Chair. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Descriptions of Three New Species of the Genus 



Phaethornis, Family Trochilid^e. 



By John Gould, F.R.S., etc. 



Phaethornis viridicaudata. 



Stripe over and behind the eye light buff ; crown of the head, 

 upper surface and wing-coverts bronzy grass-green, duller on the 

 head ; wings purplish brown ; tail-feathers bronzy grass-green at 

 the base, passing into dark brown towards the extremity, the cen- 

 tral feathers tipped with white ; the next margined on each side at 

 the tip with white, and the remainder with white on the apical portion 

 of the external web ; under surface reddish buff, becoming paler on 

 the abdomen and vent ; upper mandible black ; basal two-thirds of 

 the lower mandible yellow ; tip black ; legs yellow. 



Total length, 3f inches; bill, 1; wing, li; tail, If. 



Hab. Rio de Janeiro. 



Remark. — This species belongs to that section of the Pha'ethorni- 

 thes to which Prince Charles L. Bonaparte has given the generic ap- 

 pellation of Pygmornis, or, in other words, which is allied to the P. 

 eremita, pygmceus and griseogularis ; but differs from all in the ab- 

 sence of any red on the rump, and in the green colouring of the base 

 of the tail. 



Phaethornis episcopus. 



Head, upper surface and wing-coverts rich golden brown ; be- 

 hind the eye a stripe of buff; wings purplish brown ; tail deep 

 bronzy brown at the base, changing into slaty brown near the apex, 

 and slightly tipped with grey ; rump rufous ; ear-coverts black ; 

 under surface deep sandy buff, crossed on the breast by a broad band 

 of jet-black ; somewhat elongated plumes ; upper mandible and 

 apical third of the lower mandible black ; basal two-thirds of the 

 latter yellow. 



Total length, 3| inches; bill, |; wing, 1|; tail, If. 



Hab. Demerara. 



Remark. — This species differs from both P. pygmceus of Spix and 

 P. eremita in the rich bronzy colouring of its upper surface, by the 

 greater breadth of the black pectoral band, the deep bronzy hue of 

 the tail, and by the small size of its short and rounded wings. 



Phaethornis obscura. 



Head, upper surface, and wing-coverts dark bronzy green ; stripe 

 behind the eye buff ; wings purplish brown ; tail dark bronzy brown, 

 each feather narrowly margined externally and slightly tipped with 

 white ; throat smoky black, between which and the eye a stripe of 



