398 
Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilidse. 
with metallic throats, not particularly luminous. The two 
species form hut one group, distinguished as follows :— 
Tail long and deeply forked. 
Throat amethyst . C. amethystina. 
Throat deep violet. C. mitchelli. 
Considerable confusion has arisen among the synonyms of 
the first of these species, owing to a distinct form, described by 
Lesson and belonging to a different genus, having been con¬ 
founded with it; and to rectify this error is the chief purpose 
of this portion of my paper. 
The species of Calliphlox inhabit both sides of South 
America— C. amethystina is found from Trinidad to Brazil, 
being most abundant, perhaps, in the last-named country; 
while C. mitchelli has, as yet, so far as I am aware, been only 
met with in Ecuador. It is not improbable that it may extend 
its range into Peru, as I have one specimen said to have 
come from that country; but I do not feel certain that the 
locality is correctly given. 
Calliphlox amethystina. 
Trochilus amethystina , Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 496 (1788). 
Ornismya amethystina , Lesson, Hist, des Ois.-Moufihes, 
p. 150, pi. 47; id. Suppl. des Ois.-Mouches, pis. 20, 21, 22. 
Calliphlox amethystina , Reich. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 12; 
Gould, Mon. Troch. vol. iii. pi. 159 ; id. Intr. Troch. (8vo ed.) 
p. 97. sp. 178. 
Ornismya amethystdides , Less. Hist. Nat. Troch. p. 79, 
pis. 25, 26, 27. 
Calliphlox amethysto'ideSj Gould, Intr. Troch. (8vo ed.) p. 98. 
sp. 179. 
Trochilus brevicauda } Spix, Av. Bras. i. p. 79, t. 80. fig. 2 ? 
Hah. Brazil, Venezuela, Trinidad. 
This well-marked species was first described by Gmelin ( l . c .) 
from a specimen said to have come from Cayenne. Much 
confusion has arisen in its nomenclature from the desire 
among some writers to admit the examples from the province 
of Minas Geraes as distinct from those found in other por¬ 
tions of Brazil, and also to refuse specific rank to the Cayenne 
