INTRODUCTION. Ixxxv 



Dr. Cabanis, in his ^ Museum Heineanum/ is of opinion that the generic name of Polytmtis, proposed by Brisson in 

 1760, is the one under which they should be retained. Although I concur in this opinion, I cannot aoree with him 

 in placing them near to the genus Glaucis ; and I may be open to criticism in ranging them here, but I really cannot 

 find a better situation for them. I have stated that there are two species of this form, but I have some reason to 

 believe there is a third, as I have a small specimen collected by M. Warszewicz on the River Magdalena, which may 

 prove to be distinct ; but until I have further evidence that such is the case, I decline to characterize it : indepen- 

 dently of its smaller size, it has much more white on the tail than any other I have seen. 



Genus Polytmus, Briss, 



The P. virescens and P. viridissimus are the only species yet characterized of this genus. They are distinguished 

 by the golden hues of their throats. A great similarity exists between the sexes ; but the young of P. virescens 

 have reddish -brown breasts, and are altogether different in colour from the adults. 



255. POLYTMUS VIRESCENS. 



Chrysobronchus virescens ............. Vol. IV. Pi. 230. 



Polytmus thaumantias, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 5. 

 Habitat, Trinidad ; Venezuela ; and New Granada ? 



256. Polytmus viridissimus. 



Chrysobronchus viridicaudus ........... Vol. IV. PL 231. 



Ornismya viridis, Less. Les Troch. p. 96, pi. 33. 



Trochihis virescens, Wied., Beitr. iv. p. 107. 



Amazilia viridissima, Bonap. Gen. Av. tom. i. p. 77, Jmazilia, sp. 4. 



Smaragditis viridissimay Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 7. 



Chrysobronchus viridissimus^ Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 252. 



Chlorestes viridissimus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 4, pi. 695. figs. 4547-48. 



Thaumatias viridissimus, Burm. Th. Bras. tom. ii. p. 344. 



Thaumatias chrysurus, Burm. ib. p. 345. 



Trochilus viridicaudus, Sauc. MSS. 



prasinus, Licht. in Mus. of Berlin. 



Polytmus Theresice, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 5, 



Habitat. The banks of the Amazon, from Para to the confines of Peru. I have also received specimens from 

 Demerara. 



I have before stated that it would be impossible to arrange the Humming-Birds on the score of affinity ; and 

 I repeat that the various genera are so widely different, and so many connecting forms are wanting, that it is quite 

 out of the question to attempt their arrangement on this ground. It is of little importance, then, where we place 

 the bird known under the name of Patagona gigas and distinguished from all others by its great size, its ample 

 wings, its sombre colouring, and by the similarity in the plumage of the two sexes. At present the single species 

 which has been characterized, and which ranges from Ecuador to the southern parts of Chih, where it it a migrant, 

 is all that is known of this form ; but I observe that the Chilian and Ecuadorian specimens differ considerably 

 in size, the latter being the largest. 



Genus Patagona, G, R, Gray. 



Ihl, Patagona gigas Vol. IV. PL 232. 



Hypermetra gigas. Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 81. 



Trochilus gigas, Bridges, Proc. of Zool. Soc. part xi. p. 114 ; Darwin, Zool. of Beagle, part iii. Birds, p. 111. 



Habitat. Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile. 



" The American Aloe (^Agave Americana^ is the only plant this bird is ever seen feeding upon in Ecuador.'' — 

 Jameson and Eraser in Ibis, vol. i. p. 400. 



" This species,'' says Mr. Darwin, " is common in Central Chile. It is a large bird for the delicate family to which 

 it belongs. At Valparaiso, in the year 1834, I saw several of these birds in the middle of August, and I was 

 informed they had only lately arrived from the parched deserts of the north. Towards the middle of September 

 (the vernal equinox) their numbers were greatly increased. They breed in Central Chile, and replace, as I have 

 before said, the foregoing species" (^Eustephanus galeritus^, "which migrates southward for the same purpose. The 



z 



