UROSTICTE R U F I C R I S S A, i«M>re«ce. 



Red-vented White-tip. 



Urosticte ruficrissa, Lawrence, Annals of the Lyceum of Nat. Hist. New York, viii. p. 44 

 (1864).— Sclater & Salv. Nornencl. Ay. Neotr. p. 87 (1873).— Muls. Hist. Nat, 

 Oiseaux-Mouches, iii. p. 103 (1876). — Elliot, Synopsis of the Humming-Birds, 

 p. 90 (1878). 



The genus Urosticte was established by me in my introduction to the present Monograph for the reception 

 of the single species at that time known, U. be/ijamini. The bill is much longer than the head, and 

 straight, the tail being slightly forked, and the tarsi clothed. One special characteristic is the beautiful 

 luminous throat; while the sexes are different in colour; the female being much less brightly plumaged. Its 

 nearest ally would appear to be the genus Heltangelus^ which it resembles in form of bill, this being straight 

 as in the last-named genus, but more slender. 



Since finishing my Monograph a second species of Urosticte has been described by my friend Mr. G. N. 

 Lawrence, who has bestowed on it the appropriate name of U, rujicrissa. It is nearly allied to U. benjamini^ 

 and, like that species, has the central tail-feathers bronzy and tipped with white ; it wants, however, the 

 beautiful violet spot on the throat, which is so conspicuous in the above-named bird, having this part entirely 

 green; and it is further distinguished by its rufous under tail-coverts. 



The home of the present bird, like that of its congener, is Ecuador. 



Mr. Elliot, in his excellent ' Synopsis,' has given a very good diagnosis for the species, which I here 

 reproduce :• — 



^'Male, General plumage dark shining green. Throat luminous grass-green. Wings purplish brown. 

 Under tail-coverts rufous. Tail pale bronze-green, with the four median feathers tipped with white. Bill 

 black, feet brown. Total length 4 inches, wing 2, tail 2i, culmen 1." 



''Female. Exactly like the female of U. benjamini, but slightly larger and with a longer bill." 



The Plate represents two males and a female, drawn from the typical specimens lent to me by Mr. Lawrence. 



