580 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 
Fllorisuga] flabellifera CaBANIs and Herne, Mus. Hein., iii, 1860, 29, footnote. 
[Florisuga mellivora] var. flabellifera Mutsant, Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, n. s., xxii, 
1876, 212. 
Florisuga sallei Boucarp, The Hum. Bird, i, no. 3, Mar. 1, 1891, 18 (‘‘South 
Mexico;’’ coll. A. Boucard); Gen. Hum. Birds, 1895, 341. 
Florisuga sallzi Harrert, Ibis, 1897, 434, in text (crit.; =‘“‘golden” variety of 
F. meilivora). 
Fllorisuga] guianensis Boucarp, Genera Hum. Bird, Sept., 1895, 340, in text 
(Demerara and Atapuroni R., Brit. Guiana; coll. A. Boucard).—Harrert, 
Ibis, 1897, 434, in text (crit.). 
F{lorisuga] peruviana Boucarp, Genera Hum. Bird, Sept., 1895, 340, in text 
(Pebas, e. Peru; coll. A. Boucard).—Harrert, Ibis, 1897, 434, in text 
(crit.). 
Trochilus mellivorus varius AUDEBERT and VIEILLOT, Ois. Dorés, i, 1801, 56, 
pl. 24 (Cayenne and Guiana; =immature male), 
Genus MICROCHERA Gould. 
Microchera @ Goutp, Mon. Troch., pt. xvi, Sept., 1858 (vol. ii, 1861), text to pl. 116; 
Introd. Troch., oct. ed., 1861, 82. (Type, Mellisuga albo-coronata Lawrence.) 
Very small Trochilide (length about 60-70 mm.) with the straight 
bill shorter than head, wing about four times as long as exposed cul- 
men, tail less than half as long as wing, with rectrices (except middle 
pair) white basally, the adult males with general color plain dark 
metallic purplish relieved by a pure white pileum. 
Bill shorter than head, straight, rather slender, terete or slightly 
compressed; culmen rounded except basally, where contracted into 
a narrow ridge; tomia smooth; mandible with the usual lateral 
median groove. Nasal operculum narrow, completely hidden by the 
appressed frontal feathering, which extends forward considerably 
beyond anterior end of nostrils, forming a single broad, rounded, or 
truncate antia on base of culmen. Tarsus feathered, except on inner 
side; inner and middle toes about equal in length, the outer very 
slightly shorter. Wing about four times as long as exposed culmen, 
the outermost primary longest, normal in shape. Tail a little less 
than half as long as wing, slightly double-rounded, the rectrices 
broadly rounded at tip. 
Coloration.—Adult males with whole pileum satiny white; rest of 
plumage dark metallic blackish purple or coppery purple, the chin 
and throat bronzy blackish (whole under parts, except under tail- 
coverts, blackish in one species), the under tail-coverts and basal por- 
rtion of tail (except middle rectrices) white; adult females metallic 
bronze-green above, including pileum, the middle rectrices more 
bronzy, the under parts wholly grayish white, the tail as in adult 
male, but lateral rectrices tipped with white. 
Range.—Highlands of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and western Panamé. 
(Two species.) 
@ ‘* wexpdc, parvus et xyjoa, vidua.”’ 
