CALLIPHLOX AMETHYSTINA. 



The Amethyst. 



Trochilus amethystimis, Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., torn. i. p. 496. — Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i, 



p. 319.— Vieill. Ency. Metli. Orn., part ii. p. 561.— Pr. Max. Beitr. zur Naturg. 



von Bras., p. 90. — Shaw, Gen. Zool., voL viii. p. 328. — Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming 



Birds, vol. ii. p. 64. pi. 9. 

 V Oiseau-mouche Amethiste, Buff. Hist. Nat. des Ois., torn. vi. p. 16. — Audeb. et Vieill. Ois. 



dor., torn. i. p. 115. 

 Petit Oiseau-moucJie a queue fourchue de Cayenne, Buff. PL Enl. 672. fig. 1. 

 Ornismya amethystina, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 150. pi. 47. — lb. Les Troch., p. 90. 



pi. 30. nest, & p. 140. pi. 52 ?— lb. Traits d'Orn., p. 274. 



amethystoides. Less. Les Troch., pp. 81, 83. & pis. 26, 27- p. 79. & pi. 25 ? 



orthura, Less. Les Troch., p. 85. pi. 28. p. 88. pi. 29. 



MelUsuga ametJiystina, Steph. Cont. of Shaw's Gen. Zool., vol. xiv. p. 243. — Gray and Mitch. 

 Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 113, MelUsuga, sp. 72. 



amethystdides, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 113, MelUsuga, sp. 73. 



Trochilus campestris, Pr. Max. Beitr. zur Naturg. von Bras., p. 73. 

 TryphcEna amethystinus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 84, Trypliaena, sp. 2. 



amethystina, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 257. 



Calliphlox amethystina, Reichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 12. — lb. Troch. enuraer., p. 10. 

 Amethystine Humming Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 787. — lb. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 357. — 



Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 328. 

 Tryph(Ena Amethystina, Gould, in Description of T. Dap07iti. 



Two supposed species of this form have been described and figured in works on Ornithology, under the 

 names of Amethystina and Amethystdides ; the former of which is said to inhabit Cayenne and Brazil, and 

 the latter Brazil only. The young bird of one of them is figured under another name — ^that of ortliura ; 

 hence has arisen much confusion respecting the synonymy of this species. I may state, that never having seen 

 a bird from any country precisely accordant with M. Lesson's figure of Amethystdides, which is said to have 

 been taken from a Minas Geraes specimen, I am unable to say whether it be or be not a species; at 

 present I am inclined to consider it identical with the present bird, which opinion is in some measure 

 confirmed by a remark of Mr. Reeves, that the Amethystina from Minas Geraes, though smaller, is probably 

 the same, as he observes that all the Humming Birds from that province are smaller than those from Rio 

 de Janeiro and have feathers of a drier texture. 



In justice to M. Bourcier, who furnished M. Lesson with the specimens from which his figures were 

 taken, I append a few lines just received from him respecting Amethystina and Amethystdides : — 



*' These two species have a general resemblance, especially in the adult state, but there are well-marked 

 characters in the plumage of the young and of the females; it was this which determined me, when M. Lesson 

 was publishing "Les Trochilidees," to give him several examples for examination, and it was among the 

 younger specimens that he fancied he had discovered a new species, to which he gave the name of 

 orthiira, which however is only the young oi Amethysti7iar 



I may here be permitted to remark, that I suspect M. Bourcier must be mistaken, when he says that the 



