HEMISTEPHANIA. 253 



b. Mostri latera subparallela, ad apicem nonnihil abrupte comergentes. 



a . Eostn tomia {et maxillm et mandibuloe) plus minusve distincte serrata ; corpus 

 subtus simplex, nullo modo coloribus nitentibus ornatum. 



a'. Eostrum elongatum, rectum, debile, nonnihil sensim recurvum, haud uncinatum, 

 tomi(e debile serratx ; cauda brevis, rotundata ; frons maris micans. 



HEMISTEPHANIA. 



Doryfera, Gould, P. Z. S. 1847, p. 95 (nee Illiger, Coleoptera). 

 Helianthea, a. Hemistephania, Reich. Aufz. d. Col. p. 9. 

 Hemistephania, Elliot, Syn. Troch. p. 81 (ex Reich.). 



A well-defined genus, distinguished by its long, straight, even slightly upturned bill, 

 the tomia of both maxilla and mandible being finely serrated ; the nasal covers are fully 

 exposed, the frontal feathers only reaching their proximal ends. The tail is short and 

 rounded. In several respects Hemistephania resembles Androdon, especially in the 

 form of the tail ; but the latter genus shows much more strongly serrate edges to the 

 cutting-edges of the bill, and the male has a well-defined terminal hook to the 

 maxilla. 



Four species of Hemistephania are now recognized, three of them being closely allied, 

 whereof the only species in our region is one. The fourth member of the genus, 

 H. johannw, is more distinct, and enjoys a wide range, extending from the Andes of 

 Colombia and Ecuador to Guiana. 



As Gould's name Doryfera for this genus, though an appropriate one, has been 

 previously used by Illiger for a genus of Phytophagous Coleoptera, Eeichenbach's 

 subgeneric title, Hemistephania, raised to generic rank by Mr. Elliot, must be 

 employed. 



The range of Hemistephania extends from Costa Rica to Bolivia, and eastwards to 

 the mountains of British Guiana. 



I. Hemistephania veraguensis. (Tab. LV. fig. 1.) 



Dorifera veraguensis, Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 154'. 



Hemistephania veraguensis, Elliot, Syn. Troch. p. 83°; Salv. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xvi. p. 40 ^ 



Doryfera veraguensis, Gould, Mon. Troch. Suppl. t. 22 (Jan. 1883) *. 



Doryfera ludovicios ?, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. ix. p. 121 ^ 



Supra nitenti-viridis, nucha et cervice postiea nigricantibus oerta luce laele seneo-nitentibus, tectrioibus supra- 

 caudalibus cinereo-caeruleis j fronte usque ad lineam inter oculos olivaceo-cseruleo-viridi micante : subtus 

 fusco-nigrieans, abdomine toto obscure viridi lavato, subcaudalibus eoncoloribus ; cauda purpureo-nigra, 

 rectricibus tribus utrinque cinereo terminatis : rostro nigro, pedibus cor}'linis. Long, tota circa 4-4, 

 alee 2-2, caudae rectr. med. 1'3, rectr. lat. 1-1, rostri a rictu 1"5. (Descr. maris exempl. typ. ex Cordil- 

 lera de Tole, Panama. Mus. nostr.) 



5 mari similis, sed pallidior, fronte inornata, pileo concolore. (Descr. femiusB ex Chiriqui, Panama. Mus. 

 nostr.) 



