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Humming-birds of Guatemala. 267 
Convolvulus trees. From that date the numbers rapidly increased 
until the first week in October, when it became by far the 
commonest species about Ducnas. My first impression on seeing 
this bird was that it remained in small numbers to breed in this 
country; hut on observing the increasing numbers, I soon 
relinquished the idea, though it was a natural one, as, at the 
time of my observing the first bird, in a locality previously un¬ 
visited, I was fully aware that Campy lop ter us rufus, Thaumastura 
henicura , and Cyanomyia cyanocephala were either building, or 
sitting on their eggs. Another proof also that T. colubris was 
not engaged, or about to engage, in domestic duties, was that 
whereas the resident species in the month of October wore their 
most brilliant plumage, that of T . colubi'is was tarnished and its 
lustre gone. The species seems to be very universally distributed; 
I found it common at Coban, also at San Geronimo and the 
plains of Salama. Of my skins from Dueiias the proportion of 
males to females is as one to four, but those from Coban exactly 
as one to one. 
16. LOPHORNIS HELENA. 
Cohan. November 17th. 
It was interesting to find that the recollection of M. Delattre^s 
visit to Coban was still cherished by the bird-collecting commu¬ 
nity of that town. In fact he seems to have started the idea 
of collecting, and ever since there have been persons there who 
have handed down his original instructions in bird-skinning, so 
that, from preparing a few Quesals ( Pharomacrus paradiseus ), the 
Cobaneros have become somewhat celebrated for having formed 
the various collections which have from time to time been foi- 
warded to Europe from their neighbourhood. 
Mr. Gould, in his great work on Humming-birds, gives as a 
locality for this species u Petinck^ ( Peten ?) in the \ era Paz. In 
the vicinity of Coban itself it is not uncommon, though haidly to 
be called numerous, and it is most probable that A 7 era Paz skins 
have usually been forwarded from this latter place. I was gieatly 
delighted to find myself in the localities of this wonderful little 
bird—a success I had hardly hoped for, and I made e\eiy en 
deavour during my short stay both to see the bird in its li\ ing 
state and to get specimens. 
VOL. II. 
u 
