272 Genera of Humming Birds. 



Male. — Small frontal spot brilliant metallic green vvitb 

 bluish reflections. Head and back very dark bronzy-green 

 appearing almost black, with a greenish gloss in centre of 

 crown. Wing-coverts and rump, bronze-green. Uppertail- 

 coverts shining reddish-purple. Tail dark greenish-bronze. 

 Throat minutely spotted, metallic dark green with a small 

 metallic violet spot in the centre beneath. A broad white 

 band on breast. Abdomen and flanks dark shining green,, 

 appearing almost black on lower part of breast. Undertail- 

 coverts golden-green. Wings purplish-brown. Bill black. 



Total length, 5Jin. Wing, 3^. Tail, 2J. Culmen, ij. 



Female. — Unknown. 



This extremely rare species came first in a lot of birds sent 

 from Bogota, Colombia. It was dedicated by M. M. Mulsant 

 and Verreaux to Mr. Traviés, a celebrated painter of natural 

 history objects. The type remained for some time in- 

 Verreaux's Collection, and finallv was sold to the late Count 

 Turati of Milan, whose celebrated collection was given to the 

 Natural History Museum of Milan, by his heirs. Besides the 

 type, I think there are only three other specimens known, 

 one " Ex. Coll. Elliot," now in the Museum of New York^ 

 one in the British Museum, and one fine male specimen in mv 

 collection, from which the above description was taken. 



Genus CVIIl. Homophania, Reich., Aufz. der Colib.,. 



1853, p. 10. 



Polyaena, Heine., Journ. fur Ornith., 1843, p. 215. 



Type : O. torquata, Boissonneau. 



Bill long, straight, about twice the length of the head. 

 Feathers of forehead projecting on the culmen. Nostrils 

 hidden. Wings broad, long, reaching the end of tail. Tail 

 long, slightly forked. Median rectrices broad and longy 

 remainder of rectrices very slightly and gradually longer,, 

 nearly all white. Entire breast pure white. Metallic spot 

 in the centre of crown. Sexes unlike in plumage. 



Habitat. — Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. 



385. Homophania torquata, Boiss., Rev. Zool., 1840, p. 6. 

 Mellisuga torquata, Gray, Gen. Birds, vol. i., p. 112. 

 Bourcieria torquata, Gould, Mon. Troch., vol. iv., p. 251, 



