402 
Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Trochilidse. 
Calliphlox (as has already been done by authors generally) 
until I may be so fortunate as to meet with Spix’s type, when 
the question can be effectually decided. 
Genus Petasophora. 
The species forming this genus constitute a well-marked 
group among the Trochilidse; and each one contains characters 
sufficient to distinguish it easily from the rest. The only 
one allowed in this paper a specific rank of which there can 
be any doubt is P. coruscans; and regarding it we can only 
hope to obtain some future information which may enable 
us to ascertain what is its proper position in the genus. 
The species constitute two sections, distinguished as fol¬ 
lows :— 
A. General plumage green, metallic. 
a. Upper part of throat and chin, ear-coverts, and ab¬ 
domen deep blue; lower part of throat and breast 
light metallic green. P. anais. 
b. Throat and upper part of breast dark metallic green j 
ear-coverts and abdomen dark blue .. P. thalcissina. 
c. Ear-coverts violet-blue; throat and underparts me¬ 
tallic green . P. cyanotis. 
d. Ear-coverts, chin, and abdomen dark blue j throat 
with metallic red reflections. P. coruscans. 
e. Ear-coverts metallic purplish red; under tail-coverts 
white. P. serrirostris. 
B. General plumage brown, not metallic. 
a. Ear-coverts violet-blue j throat metallic green .... P. delphince. 
The members of the genus Petasophora , with one exception, 
are widely distributed. P. anais is found from Venezuela, 
throughout the countries lying along the Pacific, to and inclu¬ 
ding Bolivia. P. thalassina is very common in Mexico, and 
abundant in Guatemala. P. cyanotis has a most extensive 
range, stretching from Costa Rica in the north, and Vene¬ 
zuela in the east, as far south as Peru. P. serrirostris is the 
exception mentioned above, and is the only strictly eastern 
species of the genus, being confined to Brazil, where it is met 
with from Bahia to Rio de Janeiro. P. delphince is one of 
the most widely distributed of Humming-birds, being found 
