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ENLYODUCLION.

liv
Vol. IL. Pl. 79.
$9. LAMPORNIS AURULENTUS
Habitat. St. Domingo.

Vol Tlie

Crown and all the upper surface bronzy green; wings light purplish brown ; throat ‘shining greenish wax-
i c c , c 4 DS z c=

90, LAMPORNIS VIRGINALIS, Gould .

yellow; chest and centre of the abdomen black, passing into green on the flanks; upper tail-coverts brilliant
bronzy green; two centre tail-feathers rich bronze, the remainder fine purple, margined and tipped with bluish
black; bill black ; feet dark brown.

Total length 4+ inches; bill +8; wing 22; tail 14; tarsi +.

Habitat. The Island of St. Thomas.

If I have led my friend, Alfred Newton, Esq., into an error, by causing him to state that the St. Thomas bird
is identical with the Lampornis aurulentus, it was quite unintentional on my part. Since we made an examination
and comparison of specimens of L. awrulentus from St. Domingo, with those, which we believed to be identical, from
St. Thomas, I have received numerous other examples from the latter island, a careful consideration of which
induces me to regard them as distinct ; and as such, I have described them under the name of Lamporns virginalis.
The difference between this new species and L. aurulentus is very marked: it is of much smaller size, and has a
shorter, more square, and differently-coloured tail, the two centre-feathers being rich bronze instead of purplish
black ; the throat-mark is richer; the upper tail-coverts are very much finer and more brilliant; and the bill is

shorter.

91. LAMPORNIS PORPHYRURUS ; . : : 5; : : : : : : Voll Riva

Anthracothorax porphyrurus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 8, pl. 794. figs. 4849-50.

Lampornis porphyrura, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 19.

Habitat, Jamaica.

This species differs from all its allies in the female and the young male assimilating to the adult male in the
colour of the tail, which is quite contrary to what occurs in the females of the other species ; unlike them also, the
female of this species has a different and more beautiful gorget than the male. This is one of the anomalies which

cannot be explained, inasmuch as in structure, in size, and other characters it is a true Lampornis.

The genus Eulampis now claims our attention. It is composed of four species, the distinguishing features of

which are their luminous upper tail-coverts. These broad and glittering feathers, resembling plates of shining

metal, have doubtless been designed for no special purpose connected with the habits of the bird, but for mere

ornament ; but such characters, trifling though they be, are of no little use in enabling us to group together nearly

allied species. It will be recollected that in some genera—that of Hypuroptila for instance—the under and not the

ances might be cited of a similar development
of other parts of the plumage, for which no other use but that of mere orn

of this genus differ from most others in the perfe

they are all confined to the West Indian Islands.

upper tail-coverts are extraordinarily developed; and many other inst

ament can be conceived. The members

ct similarity in the colouring of the sexes. So far as I am aware,

Genus Eutampts, Bove.
92. EULAMPIS JUGULARIS

: ; ‘ ‘ i Vol Tir ive:
Eulampis jugularis, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil ii. p, 17.

Habitat. The Islands of Nevis and Martinique.

93. EULAMPIS HOLOSERICEUS

: f : : : Vole Riess:
Anthracothorax holosericeus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p- 9, pl.793. fir. 4847
fi » pl.793. fig. :
Trochilus atrigaster, ‘ Shaw,’’ Cabanis.

Eulampis holosericea, Cab. et Hein. Mus. He

in. Theil iii. Dauize
Habitat. Islands of Nevis ?

and Martinique ?

94. EuLamptis CHLOROLAMUs, Gould

| | Vol. II. Pl. 84.
Anthracothorax chlorolaimus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 9

Eulampis chlorolaema, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. The

il iii. p. 17, note.
Habitat. The Island

s of St. Thomas and St. Croix,