Ixiv INTRODUCTION. 



Oouldia, Popelairia, Gouldomijia and Prymnacantha are all generic terms proposed for the four species I have 

 called by the trivial name of Thorn-tail. Of these^ Bonaparte's name of Gouldia, having the priority, has been 

 adopted by me in the body of this work ; but as the first species, G. Popelairi, differs from the others in possessing a 

 most singular and elegant crest terminating in two hair- like feathers, I propose to adopt M. Cabanis's classical 

 name of Prymnacantha for this species, and to retain Gouldia for the others. 



Genus Prymnacantha, Cab. 



146. Prymnacantha Popelairei. 



Gouldia Popelairi ••••••....,.. Vol. III. PI. 127. 



Popelairia tricholopha, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 9. 

 Habitat. New Granada. 



Genus Gouldia, Bonap, 



147. Gouldia Langsdorffi ............ Vol. III. PI. 128 



Habitat, Brazil; and I have a single specimen from the Rio Napo. 



148. Gouldia Conversi ............. Vol III PI 129 



Habitat. From Bogota along the Andes to Popayan; and Ecuador, from which latter country I have a single 

 specimen. 



149. Gouldia L^TiTi^ ••■••-....... Vol. Ill PI 130 



Habitat, Bolivia. 



Genus Trochilus, Linn. 



The members of this genus as now restricted are only two in number— T. Colubris and T, Alexandria. Both 

 these birds are of moderate size and of elegant proportions. The males are decorated with richly-coloured o-or2:ets, 

 while the females are clothed in a sombre livery. 



150. Trochilus Colubris, Linn. . . . . . . . , , ^ _ Yq} jjj pj jgj 



Cynanthus colubris, Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-Birds, vol. ii. p. 143. 



Habitat. The eastern part of North America in summer; Mexico and Guatemala in winter, at which season it 

 is also occasionally found in Cuba, and sometimes in Bermuda. 



I have observed that specimens from Guatemala are smaller and lighter-coloured than those obtained in North 

 America. In all probability these constitute a race which does not migrate so far north as the United States. It 

 is probable, also, that the birds frequenting the latter country do not go further south than Mexico. 



"This species," say Messrs. Sclater and Salvin, "would appear to be abundant in the winter months in 

 Guatemala, as numerous examples were obtained by Mr. Skinner. It occurs at Acatenango, a village on the 

 southern slope of the great Cordillera, showing that it chooses for its winter retreat the moderate chmate afforded 

 by the region lying between the elevations of 3000 and 4000 feeV—Ibis, vol. i. 1859, p. 129. 



151. Tnocuihv s Ah^XANBni, Bourc, et Muls Vol III PI 132 



Trochilus Cassini, Bonap. MSB. 



Suecicus, in Mus. Gotzian. Dresden. 



Selasphorus Alexandria Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 10. 



Habitat, Northern Mexico and California. Found by Dr. Heermann at Sacramento city, within the hmits of 

 the United States. 



Genus Mellisuga, Briss. 



This genus contains but a single species, unless the very minute Humming-Bird in the Loddigesian Collection 

 should prove to be really distinct. The member or members of the genus, as the case may be, must be regarded 

 as the very smallest of the Trochilidae. Both sexes are destitute of luminous colourino-. 



152. Mellisgua minima ■•........ Vol ITT PI 1S3 



Trochilus pygmceus, Swains. Birds of Brazil, pi. 78. 

 Habitat, Jamaica and St. Domino:o. 



