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This species is but little known, and only a few collections 
possess examples of it. Mr. Gould first described it in the 
‘Introduction’ to his monograph of the Trochilide, but did 
not figure it in the body of his work. This is to be regretted, 
as his description does not convey an adequate idea of its 
distinctness from L. celigena, with which he compares it. 
For a long time the specimen in Mr. Gould’s cabinet was the 
only one known; but last year Mr. Buckley brought a limited 
uumber from Bellavista, in Bolivia, procured at a height of 
8000 feet. It is very distinct from all the other members of 
this genus. Although darker, it is similar to the two previous 
species in its underparts; but above it is almost black upon 
the head and back, while the tail is extremely dark olive- 
brown, the central feathers being slightly shaded with purple. 
Wings glossy purple. Measurements of a specimen in my 
collection give, total length 53 inches, wing 33, tail 23, 
ley 
LAMPROPYGIA PRUNELLI. 
Trochilus prunelli, Bourc. & Muls. Ann. des Sc. & d’Agric. 
Lyon, p. 36, pl. 1 (1843). : 
Mellisuga prunellei, G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, i. p. 112. 
Bourcieria prunelii, Reich. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pl. 750. 
figs. 4721, 4722. 
Celigena prunella, Gould, Mon. Troch. vol. iv. pl. 257. 
Lampropygia prunellet, Gould, Intr. Troch. p. 137, sp. 284. 
Hab. Columbia. 
This is a very common and well-known species, plentiful 
in collections from Bogota, and easily recognizable from its 
black plumage and green metallic throat-mark. It is not 
to be confounded with any other species of Lampropygia, 
unless the bird that I am about to call the attention of Tro- 
chilidists to should really prove to be a distinct species. [ 
have had for a long time in my collection a specimen of 
Lampropygia similar in all respects to L. prunelli, save one, 
which, however, is sufficiently striking to make it readily 
distinguishable from that species. This character is the 
colouring of the throat. In all specimens of L. prunelli that 




