BIRDS OF NORTH AND MIDDLE AMERICA. 677 
Mytinia Muusant, Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, n. s., xxii, 1876, 224 (Cat. Ois.-Mouch., 
p. 28); Hist. Nat. Ois.-Mouch., ili, 1876, 235. (Type, Trochilus letitix 
Bourcier.) 
Mythinia (emendation?) Mutsant and VERREAUX, Hist. Nat. Ois.-Mouch., iii, 
1876, 235. 
Small Trochilide (length, including long tail of adult males, about 
70-120 mm.) related to Lophornis, but differing in forked tail (in 
adult male greatly elongated, with lateral rectrices attenuated ter- 
minally), absence of ornamental head plumes (except a slender, 
lapwing-like crest in one species), and more uniform coloration. 
Bill (unfeathered portion) shorter than head, straight, nearly terete; 
culmen rounded except basally, where more or less distinctly ridged; 
tomia smooth; mandible with the usual lateral median groove. Nasal 
operculum moderately broad to rather narrow, nude, but hidden by 
appressed frontal feathering, which anteriorly extends considerably 
beyond anterior end of nostrils, forming a short, obtuse point or 
antia on each side of culmen. Tarsus naked; inner toe about as 
long as middle toe, the outer toe slightly shorter. Wing between 
three and four times as long as exposed culmen, the outermost (tenth) 
primary longest, rather narrow but with tip rounded, the ninth with 
outer web abruptly incised (almost obliterated) for terminal third or 
fourth, in one species (P. popelairi) entire outer web of both ninth 
and tenth primaries obsolete. Tail in adult males about one and a 
half times as long as wing to more than twice as long, forked for 
much the greater part of its length, the lateral rectrices narrow and 
attenuated terminally; in adult females about three-fifths as long as 
wing, forked, but with lateral pair of rectrices shorter than the next. 
Coloration.—Above metallic green or bronze - green, including 
pileum, the rump crossed by a narrow band or bar of white, this 
often succeeded by a blackish area. Adult males with chin, throat, 
and chest metallic green, the remaining under parts mostly green or 
blackish, or else chin and throat metallic green, chest and middle of 
breast and abdomen black, sides and flanks sooty; tail with longer 
rectrices blue-black, violet-black or grayish, the shafts white on 
under side; one species with a band of metallic orange-reddish, 
another with a spot of white, on chest. Adult females with under 
parts mixed black, green, and white, the lateral rectrices tipped with 
white and grayish basally. 
Range.—Costa Rica to Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil. (Five species.) 
It is probable that this genus should be restricted to P. popelairit, 
which differs from all the others in its very conspicuous, long and 
slender, lapwing-like crest, almost complete obliteration of outer web 
of ninth and tenth primaries, more strongly curved primaries, and 
relatively much shorter wing, the latter only about three times as 
long as the exposed culmen instead of nearly to quite four times as 
