Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilidse. 
313 
254; Gould, Mon. Troch. vol. v. p. 284; et Intr. Mon. Troch. 
p. 147, sp. 313. 
Hah. Mexico (northern districts). 
This species, a native of Mexico, was first described by 
Vieillot (/. c.). It bears a close resemblance to C. violiceps, 
but may be distinguished from that species by the colouring 
of the tail, which is a pale olive-green, without any of the 
bronze-red hue observable on the rectrices of its relative. 
The top of the head is a blue green, sometimes with purple 
reflection. In all other respects the two species are very 
similar. The present bird is rather rare in collections, al¬ 
though it is reasonable to suppose it is common in the dis¬ 
tricts it inhabits, as are the other species of the genus in the 
localities they frequent. I have remarked that sometimes 
the top of the head has purple reflections like that of C. vio¬ 
liceps. My knowledge of this fact is obtained from a spe¬ 
cimen in my collection which has the colouring of the head 
like that of typical C. violiceps , and, were it deprived of the 
tail, would undoubtedly be ranked with that species; but the 
rectrices unmistakably belong to G. quadricolor. The colour¬ 
ing of these last, then, appear to be the only character by 
which the two forms may be distinguished. 
-|-Cyanomyia violiceps. 
Cyanomyia violiceps, Gould, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 3rd 
ser. vol. iv. p. 97; Id. Mon. Troch. vol. v. pi. 285; et Intr. 
Troch. p. 147, sp. 314. 
Hab. Mexico, vicinity of Oaxaca (Salle). 
This bird, described by Gould (l. c), was procured by M. 
Salle near Oaxaca, in Western Mexico, where it appears to 
be very abundant. Mr. Gould regarded it as distinct from C. 
quadricolor in its “larger and somewhat forked tail, in the violet 
colouring of the crown, and in having a longer and darter 
hill, which, moreover, is not so broad at the base.” With a 
tolerably large series of specimens before me, I find that none 
of these characters are trustworthy, or sufficient to establish 
the species. The colouring of the head, as I have already 
stated, when speaking of C. quadricolor , varies greatly; the 
ser. in.—VOL. VI. 
