268 TEOCHILID^. 



species was discovered in Costa Eica in 1865 ; and these two birds now constitute the 

 genus, which is restricted in its range to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the mountainous 

 portion of Western Panama. 



The position of Microchera is always likely to be questioned, so peculiar is the 

 coloration of the two birds belonging to it. Gould placed it next to Florisuga, with 

 Lophornis following ; Mr. Elliot associated it with Mellisuga. Neither view seems to 

 us to be correct. A careful examination of the bill shows that the tomia of the 

 maxilla are distinctly serrate towards the end, LopJiornis, Florisuga, and Mellisuga 

 having it perfectly smooth. The inter-ramal space is feathered, the bill slender, and 

 the tomia of the maxilla are curved inwards towards the tip ; the sexes are dissimilar, 

 the tail more or less rounded, the bill nearly straight, and the lateral rectrices white at 

 the base. These characters bring Microchera and Callipharus together, a not 

 unnatural arrangement seeing how largely black is a prevalent colour in their plumage. 

 They also bring these genera into the vicinity of Eupherusa, from which genus 

 Callipharus was separated. Microchera can be at once distinguished from Callipharus 

 by the white crown, and by the complete feathering of the nasal covers. 



1. Microchera albocoronata. 



Mellisuga albocoronata, Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. vi. p. 137, t. 4 (1855) ^. 



Microchera albocoronata, Gould, Mon. Troch. ii. t. 116 (Sept. 1858) ^ ; Salv. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 154. " ; 

 1870, p. 207 ' ; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xvi. p. 66 °'. 



Supra (a fronte adspecta) fere nigra laste niteuti-cupreo-mbida (a tergo adspecta), pileo toto sericeo-niveo : 

 siibtas dorso concolor, gula saturate viridi lavata, tectricibus subcaudalibus albis ; caudae rectricibus mediis 

 saturate cupreo-biunneis, reliquis bitriente basali albis, triente terminali chalybeo-nigra, apicibus ipsia 

 albis : rostro omnino nigro. Long, tota 2-7, alae 1-5, caudse 0'75, rostri a rictu 0*6. 



5 supra nitenti-viridis, uropygio et rectricibus mediis magis aureis, rectricibus reliquis albis fascia subter- 

 minali cbalybeo -nigro ; subtus alba, gutture toto vix griseo-lavato. (Descr. maris et feminas ex CordiUera 

 del Chucu, Panama. Mus. nostr.) 



Hab. Panama, Santiago de Veraguas ^, Cordillera del Chucu ^ (Arce), Beleu (Merritt ^ ^). 



Concerning this species, its discoverer. Dr. J. K. Merritt, writes as follows ^ : — " It 

 was in the autumn of 1852, while stationed in the district of Belen, Veraguas, New 

 Granada, that I obtained several specimens of this diminutive Humming-Bird. The 

 first one I saw was perched on a twig pluming its feathers. I was doubtful for a few 

 moments whether so small an object could be a bird, but upon close examination I 

 convinced myself of the face and secured it. Another I encountered while bathin'^ 

 and for a time I watched its movements before shooting it ; this little creature would 

 poise itself about three feet or so above the surface of the water, and then as quick as 

 thought dart downwards, so as to dip its head in the placid pool, then up again to its 

 original position, quite as quickly as it had descended. 



" These movements of darting up and down, it would repeat in rapid succession, 

 which produced not a moderate disturbance of the surface of the water, for such a 



