THALURANIA JELSKII. 



Jelski's Wood-Nymph. 



Thalurania jelsUi, Tacz. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1874, p. 138.— Mulsant, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, 

 iii. p. 70 (1877).— Elliot, Synopsis of the Humming-Birds, p. 101 (1878).— 

 Eudes-Deslongchamps, Ann. Mus. d'Hist. Nat. de Caen, i. p. 320 (1880).— Tacz. 

 Orn. du P^rou, i. p. 295 (1884). 



Jelski's Wood-Nympli was discovered by the well-known Polish traveller after whom the species is 

 named, at Soriano in Peru. Mr. Elliot writes concerning the present bird: — "This is a diminutive 

 of T. nigrofasciata ; and there is absolutely no difference between the two except in size. The rectrices 

 of T. j'ehMi are narrow, but not more so than accords with its dimensions, I compared the type 

 with specimens of T. nigrofasciata, and could distinguish no difference, save that T. jelskii was a little 

 smaller." 



The Plate represents the adult male in three positions, and is drawn from a s])ecimen lent to us by 

 Dr. Taczanowski. 



[R. B. S.] 



THALURANIA FURCATOIDES, Goz^/^. 



Para Wood-Nymph. 



Thalurania furcatoides^ Gould, Monogr. Trochil. ii. text to Th. furcata, — Id. Intr. Trochil. 

 8vo, p. 77 (1861).— Sclater & Salvin, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1867, p. 584.— Salvin & 

 Elliot, Ibis, 1873, p. 357.— Sclater & Salvin, Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 83 (1873).— 

 Mulsant, Hist. Nat. Oiseaux-Mouches, iii. p. 73 (1877). — Elliot, Synopsis of 

 the Humming-Birds, p. 100 (1878). — Eudes-Deslongchamps, Ann. Mus. d'Hist. 

 Nat. de Caen, i. p. 317 (1880). 



Thalurania forficata. Cab. & Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. iii. p. 24 (I860).— Gould, Intr. Trochil. 

 p. 77 (1861). 



Polytmusfurcatoides, Gray, Hand-hst of Birds, i. p. 130, no. 1655 (1869). 



The species of Thalurania from the Lower Amazons seems to differ constantly from T furcata of 

 Cayenne in being smaller, in having the tail less forked, and the breast ultramarine blue instead of 

 purplish blue. We have seen some specimens from Para which bore out these differences ; but whether 

 it is true T furcata or T furcatoides which was procured by Natterer at Barro do Rio Nigro, only an 

 examination of specimens can decide {cf Pelzeln, Orn. Bras. p. 30). 



The type of TL forficata of Cabanis and Heine was sent from Berlin and examined by the late 

 Mr. Gould, but he did not identify it for certain with his 7", furcatoides. Messrs. Salvin and Elliot 

 (/. c.) have, however, no doubt as to its being synonymous. 



[R. B. S.] 



