DN PRO CTT ON: XClx

334. THaumatiAs Linn21, Bonap. : ‘ : : ‘ : : ‘ : : : Viol. ¥.. Pl 302.

Trochilus viridissimus, Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-Birds, vol. il. p 149.

Trochilus viridipectus, Sauc. in Mus. Berol. et Heinean.

Saucerottia viridipectus, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 7.

Agyrtria Thaumantias, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pl. 756. figs. 4738-39.

Chlorestes viridipectus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 4, pl. 702, figs. 4573-75.

Hylocharis lactea, fem., Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 8, pl. 772, fig. 4792.

Coeligena Maugei, fem. (!!!), Reichenb. in Mus. of Berlin (Cabanis).
Agyrtria maculata, Cab et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil ii. p. 33.

Habitat. Northern Brazil, Cayenne, Dutch and British Guiana, Trinidad, and Venezuela.

This bird is much smaller than the last, has less white on the abdomen, and the under tail-coverts tinged
with grey.

I think it likely that pl. 62 of Lesson’s ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouches’ has reference to this species,
and the text to the 7. albwentris.

335. THAUMATIAS FLUVIATILIS, Gould.

Habitat. Banks of the River Napo.

In size this bird rather exceeds the last, and has a more than proportionately longer bill; the breast is
glittering deep or grass green instead of golden green, and there is a narrow irregular streak of greyish white on
the abdomen ; but the great difference which distinguishes it from the 7. innei and the rest is the colouring of the
under tail-coverts, the centres of which are dark brown margined with greyish white; the tail-feathers are short,
and of a nearly uniform dull black.

Total length 4 inches, bill 2,8, wing 1, tail 1].

336. THAUMATIAS APICALIS, Gould.
Habitat. New Granada.
About the same size as the last, with an equally lengthened bill; the upper-surface golden green; the centre

of the abdomen and under tail-coverts pure white ; the four outer tail-feathers steel-black margined with pure white
at the tip.

Total length 3+ inches, bill 1, wing 24, tail 1+.

337. THAUMATIAS MACULICAUDUS, Gould.

Habitat. British Guiana.

This is a very little species, with a long thin bill; its breast is green, as the other’s ; the centre of its abdomen
white; the under tail-coverts white, except in the centre, where they are dark brown; but the great difference is
in the tail, which is exceedingly pretty, the two centre feathers being bronzy green, except at the extreme tip, which
is greenish black, the next on each side bronze for half their length, then black ; the three outer ones on each side
bronzy green at their base, then broadly zoned with black, next to which they are green, and lastly white.

Total length 32 inches, bill 4, wing 2, tail 14.

A specimen of this bird was brought from Guiana by Sir Robert Schomburgk ; and in all probability the
species is an inhabitant of the interior.

The five preceding species are all very nearly alike, and form a minor section; they are confined to a com-
paratively limited area. The remaining members of the genus are more widely distributed, one of them inhabiting
Guatemala and Costa Rica, and two or three Veragua, while the others frequent Venezuela, Trinidad, the Guianas,
and Brazil; but as each of the species has its proper habitat indicated, it will be unnecessary to say more on the
subject here. The females are very similar to the males in colour, except in the case of the rare species I have

called 7. chionurus, where the two sexes differ considerably, as may be seen on reference to the plate in which they
are represented.

The group of Humming-Birds to which I next direct attention comprises the genera Amazilia, Pyrrhophena,
Erythronota, Eupherusa, Saucerottia, Sapphironia, Hylocharis, and others, ranging between the Amazilie and the little
green species forming the genus Chlorostilbon. These birds are the least understood of the Trochilide, and are
certainly the most difficult and perplexing to discriminate of the entire family. I will, however, do my best to

unravel the confusion with which they are surrounded, and to place both the genera and species in as clear a light