Genus S t e l l u l a , Gould.
(dim. o f Stella.)
Generic characters.
Male.—B ill longer than the head, straight and pointed; wings moderately long and sickle-shaped; first p rimary
rigid; tail short and truncate; fe e t small; claws diminutive and curved.
The starry throat-mark o f this bird would appear to indicate that it should be associated with the members of
the next genus, Calothorax; but on an examination o f the tail we find it to be short and truncate, and that consequently
the bird is o f a very different form.
At present but one species o f this form has been discovered; and this ranges very far north, not only over
the hio-h lands o f Mexico, but even enters California, as is shown by specimens having been sent to me from
thence by Dr. Baird o f Washington, and Mr. Bridges o f California.
1 6 1 . S t e l l u l a Ca l l t o p e .
Calothorax Calliope, Gould . . . . • • • • • Vol. ^ 142,
Habitat. The table lands o f Northern Mexico and California.
The type o f the
Genus C a l o t h o r a x , G. R . Gray,
is the well-known Mexican Star, C. cyanopogon, which, together with the new species discovered by M. Sallé, and
named by me C. pulcher, are all that are known o f this peculiar form. Both these birds are natives o f M e x ic o -
one inhabiting the table lands, the other the more southern and hotter districts. Both have very singularly formed
tails—the outer feather being shorter than the next, and the four central ones so abbreviated as to be almost hidden
by the coverts. When the males display their luminous gorgets, they must appear truly beautiful. The females
possess none o f this fine colouring, but, on the contrary, are very plainly attired.
1 6 2 . C a l o t h o r a x c y a n o p o g o n ......................................................................................................................Vol. III. PI. 1 4 3 .
Trochilus cyanopogon, Swains. Birds o f Brazil, pi. 77.
------------ coruscas, Licht. Preis-Verz. Mexican. Thier. v. Deppe & Schiede (Sept. 1 8 3 0 ) No. 3 4 , 3 5 .
Habitat. The table land o f Northern Mexico.
1 6 3 . Ca l o t h o r a x p u l c h e r , Gould
Habitat. Oaxaca in Southern Mexico.
Vol. III. PI. 144.
I t has always appeared to me that the well-known Calothorax Mulsanti and C. Heliodori might very properly
be separated into a distinct g enus; and this I have accordingly done. With these must be associated the species
to which I have given the name o f C. decoratus, and, I think, the singular little C. micrurus. They are all from the
Andes, and are among the most diminutive o f the Trochilidse. Their structure would lead one to suspect that their
wings are capable o f very rapid motion, that organ being so small that it must be moved with increased rapidity
to enable the bird to sustain itself when poising before a flower.
Genus A c e s t r u r a , Gould.
(¿K ta rp a , acus, e t ovpa, cauda.)
Generic characters.
Male.—Bill longer than the head, cylindrical, and very slightly arched; two centre tail-feathers extremely
small, the two outer ones filamentous and shorter than the third; wings diminutive; tarsi clothed; fe e t small;
gorget luminous.
Female—Unadorned.
164. A c e s t r u r a M u l s a n t i .
Calothorax Mulsanti . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lucifer Mulsanti, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 10.
Trochilus filicaudus, Licht. in Mus. Berol.
Chaetocercus Mulsanti. Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 60.
Habitat. The temperate regions o f the Andes, from Bogota to Quito.
I observe that specimens from the former locality are smaller than those from the latter,
this bird at Pallatanga and Puellaro in Ecuador.
Vol. III. PI. 145
Mr. Fraser found
165. A c e s t r u r a nECORATA, Gould.
Calothorax decoratus, G o u l d Vol. III. PI. 146.
Habitat. Uncertain, but supposed to be Antioquia, in New Granada
166. A c e s t r u r a H e l io d o r i .
Calothorax H e lio d o r i Vol. III. PI. 147.
Lucifer Heliodori, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 10.
Chaetocercus Heliodori, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 60.
Calothorax bombilus, Reichenb. MS.
Habitat. The Andes of N ew Granada.
167. A c e s t r u r a m ic r u r a , Gould.
Calothorax micrurus, Gould Vol. III. PI. 148.
Habitat. Peru or Bolivia.
The members o f the genus Acestrura naturally lead on to the Calothorax Rosce and C. Jourdani, constituting the
Genus C h /e t o c e r c u s , G. R . Gray.
Both these birds have very singularly formed tails, as may be seen on reference to the respective plates on
which they are represented.
168. C hjETOCERCUs R osas.
Calothorax R o s i e Vol. III. PI. 149.
Chaetocercus Rosae, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 60.
Habitat. Venezuela.
169. Ch a e to c e r c u s J o u r d a n i .
Calothorax J o u r d a n i ....................................................................................................................................Vol. III. PI. 150.
Habitat. The Island o f Trinidad, where Mr. Tucker states that it frequents the Savannahs, but is very rare.
The bird which I have figured under the name o f Calothorax Fanny is the type o f the
Genus M y r t i s , Reichenb.,
which I adopt for that beautiful bird and the C. Yarrelli, as I consider them to be a very distinct form, and one
which is especially remarkable for the structure o f the tail.
170. M y r t i s F a n n i j e .
Calothorax F a n n y ..................................................................................................................................... III. PI. 151.
Habitat. Ecuador and Peru.
Mr. Fraser found it at Cuenca in November, 1857, when it was “ common about the gardens and lane hedgerows.
It makes much more humming with its wings than the long-tailed green LesUa.”—Proc. Zool. Soc., part
xxvi. p. 459.
171. M y r t i s Y a r r e l l i .
- .. B— Calothorax Y a r 1r e l l i ........................................................................................................ . . Vol. III. PI. 152.
Habitat. Western Peru, particularly the neighbourhood o f Arica.
How very singular and diversified in form are the Humming-Birds o f Peru! So varied indeed are they, that
almost every species demands a generic appellation; the T. Cor* with its beautiful throat and lengthened tail is the
type o f the
Genus T h a um a st u r a , Jionap.
Of this peculiar form only one species is known, o f which the male alone is decorated with fine colours, and
bears the singularly constructed tail.
172. TuAOMiSTonA C o n * .................................................................................................................................... Vol. III. Pi. 153.
Omismya corn, Dev. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1852, p. 217.
Habitat. Peru.
M. Deville states that this bird is found during the months of February, March, April, and May only, in the