Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilidse. 
399 
bird with a short square tail. This last determination, I am 
led to believe, has arisen among Trochilidists simply from the 
lack of proper specimens to enable them to form a judg¬ 
ment. There are two synonyms only that at present need be 
considered here (that of Ornismya orthura of Lesson being 
treated under a different head), the first being Trochilus brevi- 
cauda , Spix (/. c.). The figure and description of this author 
have been taken from a female, the first so poorly done, and 
the last so insufficient, as to render it absolutely impossible 
to determine whether the bird belongs to this species or to 
that one for which I have in this paper constituted the genus 
Catharma. An examination of the type alone will enable the 
question to be solved satisfactorily. I have therefore placed 
Spix's name among the synonyms of the present species with 
a doubt. The second one is Ornismya amethystdides of 
Lesson, distinguished chiefly by its rather small size. This 
form is stated to come from the province of Minas Geraes, 
in Brazil. I fail to distinguish any characters in specimens 
from that locality that entitles them, in my opinion, to a 
specific rank, and have placed the name O. ametliystoides as a 
synonym of C. amethystina. An example before me from 
Minas Geraes, obtained from Mr. Gould, is in every respect 
as large as specimens of C. amethystina from other parts of 
Brazil, thus showing that the species varies in size even in 
that province, and that this cannot be relied upon as a cha¬ 
racter. As I am not aware that the female of C. amethystina 
has ever been characterized, I append a full description of it. 
Upper parts golden green, inclining to brownish on the 
head. Entire underparts pale mouse-grey, lightest on the 
throat, which is spotted with brown. Wings purplish brown. 
Median rectrices bright metallic green; remaining rectrices 
have the basal half light brownish grey, slightly washed with 
a lustrous green, rest of feather black tipped with white. The 
tail is rounded, and the feathers quite broad. Bill black. 
Feet brown. Total length 3J inches, wing If, tail If, bill f. 
Calliphlox mitchelli. 
Trochilus mitchelli , Bourc. P. Z. S. 1847, p. 47. 
