ATTHIS ELLI OT I, Rid^as,. 



Elliotts Flame-beaien 



Selasphorus heloisce, Scl. & Salv. (nee Less. & Delattre), Ibis, 1859, p. 129. — Salvin, Ibis, 



1860, pp. 196, 266. 

 Att/iis heloisa (pt.), Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, Hist. North-Amer. Birds, ii. p. 465 (1874, 



spec, ex Guatemala). 

 AttJiis ellioti Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1878, p. 9.— Elliot, Synopsis of the Humming- 



Birds, p. 114 (1878). 



This species of AtiMs represents in Guatemala the well-known A^^kis hehiscB of Southern Mexico. 



As Mr. Ridgway remarks in his original description, it may be immediately distinguished by the very different 

 form of the outer primary, the redder and more uniform colour of the throat-gorget, and the shorter bill. 

 The outer primary in A. ellioti is broad, with the end not attenuated ; and the gorget is uniform purplish 

 red without varying olivaceous tints, with the culmen 0'38-0*40 ; whereas in A. heloisce the culmen 

 measures 0*48-0*50, and the outer primary is very narrow, with the end abruptly attenuated, while the 

 gorget is reddish violet, showing decided violet tints in certain lights. 



These differences do not strike one as being very strongly pronounced ; but as they appear to be constant, 

 the Guatemalan species will henceforth be known as A. ellioti. 



The specific characters of the adult male are thus given by Mr. Ridgway : — 



" Outer primary broad, the end not attenuated. Gorget uniform reddish purple (much as in Calypte 

 annce), without varying tints of violet as in A. heloisa \ jugulum wholly white; middle of the abdomen 

 white; sides light rufous, slightly glossed with golden green; crissum white, tinged with light rufous. 

 Upper parts metallic green, decidedly less golden than m A. heloisce. Tail with the basal half (approxi- 

 mately) bright cinnamon-rufous, the subterminal portion black; three outer feathers on each side tipped with 

 rusty white ; the middle pair with the black portion above glossed with metallic green anteriorly. Wings 

 uniform dusky, the smaller coverts metallic green. Wing 1-35 inch, tail rO-r05." 



I have not given a figure of this species, tlie differences detailed above being sufficient to distinguish It 

 from A. heloisce. 



