HELIOTHMX. 251 



Heliothrix is a well-marked genus, having a peculiar bill, which is cuneate, being 

 wide at the base and gradually compressed towards the tip. The tail is cuneate, the 

 central rectrices being considerably longer than the lateral ones. The nasal covers are 

 completely feathered, so that the nostrils are not at all exposed. The only genus that 

 approaches Heliothrix is ScMstes, which has a similar bill and similar glittering auri- 

 cular patches ; but the tail is rounded, and the nasal covers are partly exposed. 

 Augastes, too, has some resemblance to these genera, but the relationship is more 

 remote. 



Mr. Lawrence inserts Heliothrix auritus in his list of M'Leannan's Panama birds 

 (Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 291), but the occurrence of this bird so far from its usual 

 range requires confirmation. 



1. Heliothrix barroti. 



TrocMlus barroti, Bourc. Rev. Zool. 1843^ p. 72 \ 



Ornismya barroti, Bourc. & Muls. Ann. Sc. Pliys. et Nat. Lyon, vi. p. 48 ^ 



Heliothrix barroti, Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 115 '; Gould, Mon. Troch. iv. t. 317 (Oct. 1853)*; Salv. 



Ibis, 1860, pp. 272% 400 ^ 1872, p. 320'; P. Z. S. 1867, p. 155'; 1870, p. 209'; Cat. 



Birds Brit. Mus. xvi. p. 32"; Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 291 "; ix. p. 125 "; Scl. & 



Salv. P. Z. S. 1864, p._365 " ; Tacz. Orn. Per. i. p. 258 ". 

 Heliothrix purpureiceps, Gould, P. Z. S. 1853, p. 87 "; Mon. Troch. iv. t. 216 (May 1859) ''. 

 Heliothrix violifrons, Gould, Intr. Troch. p. 122 ". 



Supra nitenti-aureo-viridis, guise lateribus a mandibulse basi micantibus, loris et tectricibus aurioularibus 

 nigerrimis, pileo et plaga postauriculari micanti-purpureo-cyaneis : subtus albus, rectricibus tribus 

 utrinque lateralibus quoque albis, quatuor mediis cbalybeo-nigris : rostro et pedibus nigris. Long, tota 

 circa 4-5, alte 2'6, caudse roctr. med. 1-6, reotr. }at. 1"2, rostri a riotu 1*0. 



5 mari similis, colore purpureo-cyaneo, pilei et regionis postauricularia absente striam a mandibulaB basi 

 micanti-viridem quoqije caret; gutture medio indistinete fuaco guttato, Cauda multo longiore. Long, 

 tota circa 5'3, alae 2"6, caudse reotr. med. 2'45, reotr. lat. 1'4, rostri a rictu I'O. (Descr. maris et feminse 

 ex Choctum, Guatemala. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. British Honduras, Belize, San Felipe, and Cayo in the Western District {F. Blan- 

 caneaux ^^) ; Guatemala, Las Salinas ^ ^^ and Choctum, track between Cahabon 

 and San Luis ^ i"^, Polochic Valley between Teleman and Panzos^ {0. S. & F. 1). G.); 

 Honduras, Chamelicon [Wittkugel, in TJ. S. Nat. Mus.); Nicaragua, Chontales 

 [BeW), La Libertad in Chontales {W. B. Richardson); Costa Eica, Tucurriqui 

 {ArcS 1°, Zeledon), Angostura, Cervantes (Carmiol ^^) ; Panama, Volcan de Chiriqui ^, 

 Bugaba ^, Boquete de Chitra ^, Castillo, Laguna del Castillo, Caloveyora 1°, Santa 

 Fe 8 (ArcS), Veraguas ( Warszewiez % Line of Eailway [Arce), Lion Hill (M'Lean- 

 nan i^ i^), Obispo (0. aS".).— Northern Colombia i ^ ; Western Ecuador lo i^ le^ 



This beautiful species has been rather unfortunate in its names, two wholly unneces- 

 sary synonyms having been bestowed upon it by Gould. 



It received its first appellation from Bourcier, who named a specimen sent him by 



32* 



