in New Granada and Ecuador. At Quito,.or around those towering mountains immediately under the equator, we
find the R. Stanleyi and R. Herrani; while Bolivia gives us the R. Vulcani and the R. ruficeps.
Genus R a m p h o m ic r o n , Bonap.
208. R am p h o m ic r o n h e t e r o p o g o n . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. III. PI. 184.
Lampropogon heteropogon, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 252.
Chalcostigma heteropogon, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 12.
Ramphomicron heteropogon, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 1 0 ; Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 67.
Habitat. New Granada.
I possess two very marked varieties or races o f this bird, one being much smaller than the other : the large
race, I believe, is from Pamplona, and the smaller from the neighbourhood o f Bogota.
•209. R a m p h o m ic r o n S t a n l e y i Vol. III. PI. 185.
Chalcostigma Stanleyi, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 12 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 10.
Habitat. Ecuador.
210. R a m p h o m ic r o n V u l c a n i , G o u l d .........................................................................................................y 0i. m t p]. jgg.
Habitat. Bolivia.
211. R a m p h o m ic r o n H e r r a n i ..............................................................................................................................Vol. III. PL 187.
Chalcostigma Herrani, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 12 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 10.
Lampropogon herrani, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 253.
Habitat. Ecuador.
212. R am p h o m ic r o n r u f ic e p s , Gould . ... . , . Vol. III. PI. 188.
Ramphomicron ruficeps, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 12 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 10.
Lampropogon ruficeps, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 253.
Habitat. Bolivia.
213. R am p h o m ic r o n m ic r o r h y n c h u m . . . . . . . . . . Vol. III. PI 189
Ramphomicron microrhynchum, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 12; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 10, pi. 718. figs. 4915-18.
Ramphomicrus microrhynchus, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 70.
Trochilus euanthes, Licht. in Mus. o f Berlin.
Habitat. The Andes from the EquatQr to seven degrees north.
I must now ask those who take an interest in the various forms o f this family o f birds, to turn to my plate of
Urosticte Benjamini, and examine the little bird figured thereon with a beautiful gorget o f green and purple. This
species is rendered very singular by the two tufts o f white feathers which spring from behind the eye, and still
more so by the white tipping o f the four central tail-feathers. Ornithologists will view this character with
astonishment, and inwardly ask, Is this particular mark given for a special purpose in connexion w ith the economy
o f the bird, or for the mere purpose o f ornament? That ornament and variety is the sole object, I have myself
but little doubt. Of this recently acquired form, the single species to which I have assigned the generic name o f
Urosticte is all that is known. Like so many others that have preceded it, this is an Andean species, its native
country being Ecuador.
Genus U r o s t ic t e , Gould.
‘(Ovpa, cauda, et otiktos, notatus.)
Generic characters.
Male.—Bill much longer than the head, and straight; head round, the feathers not advancing on the b ill;
wings moderately long and rather pointed; tail slightly forked; tarsi clothed; hind toe shorter than the middle t o e ;
throat luminous.
-Fewia/e.—Unadorned.
2 1 4 . U r o s t ic t e B e n j a m i n i y o l m p i 1 9 0
Urosticta Benjamini, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 13.
Basilima Benjamini, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 1 1 .
Urosticte benjaminus, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 253.
Habitat. Ecuador.
It will have been observed that each o f the foregoing groups is characterized by certain peculiarities, and that
one feature is more prominent than the others in each o f the different forms : in some the back, and back only, is
lit up with luminous colours ; in others the throat is the only part thus adorned; in another (the Pterophanesj the
wings alone are lustrous. The group which stands next on my list of genera and species have their share of ornament
disposed on their broad and ample ta ils : in nearly every species this organ is illumined with brilliantly
shining colours—some blue, others purple, and others, again, bronze; in some these glittering hues appear on both
the upper and under surface, while in others it is either confined to or is most brilliant on the latter. These colours,
I am sure, the bird has the power o f displaying to the greatest advantage, in order to render himself as attractive
as may be when desirous o f pleasing the female, perhaps, like the Peacock, for the purpose of his own vainglory.
These varied beauties serve to increase our admiration o f Nature’s works; at least such is the feeling they create
in my own breast.
Genus M e t a l l u r a , Gould.
(MeraXXov, metallum, et ovpa, cauda.)
Generic characters.
Male.—B ill straight and o f moderate len g th ; wings moderate; tail rather large and rounded; tarsi bare; feet
rather la r g e ; hind toe and nail as long or longer than the middle toe and n a il; throat and under surface o f the tail
luminous, like shining metal.
Female.—Much less brilliant than the male, and in most o f the species destitute o f the luminous throat-mark.
All the members o f this genus are tenants o f the Andes, and by far the greater portion o f them of Bolivia and
Peru; one species, however (the M. tyrianthinaj, ranges over the whole o f the temperate portions o f New Granada.
I. now proceed to arran g e the species according to their affinities, commencing with the largest and most gorgeously
coloured.
215. M e t a l l u r a c u p r e i c a u d a , Gould . . . • • Vol. III. PI. 191.
Trochilus (Lampomis') opaca, “ Licht.” Tschudi, Consp. pp. 38, 210 ; Id. Faun. Peru. p. 248,13.
Metallura opaca, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 69.
Habitat. Bolivia.
216. M e t a l l u r a e n e i c a u d a , G o u l d ............................................................................' , • . ■ Vol. III. PI. 192.
Urolampra aeneicauda, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 68.
Habitat. Bolivia.
217. M e t a l l u r a W i l l i a m i ....................................................................... . . . . . Vol. III. PI. 193.
Urolampra Williami, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 68, note.
Habitat. Popayan.
218. M e t a l l u r a P r im o l i i , Bonap. Vol. III. PI. 1 9 4 .
Habitat. Peru.
219. M e t a l l u r a t y r i a n t h i n a . • . • • . • • ■ • V*.n«*l« »T*T**T• *PI 196
Urolampra tyrianthina, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 68.
Habitat. New Granada.
In my account o f Metallura tyrianthina, I have given that bird a very wide range o f habitat, extending from the
Gulf o f Darien to Ecuador; but having since had ample opportunities for examining numerous specimens from
every locality, I find that the birds from Ecuador are so much larger than those from Bogota that I cannot do
otherwise than regard them as distinct. In examples from the two localities mentioned, there is a difference o f more
than half an inch in the length o f their wings, and fully an eighth in the length o f their bills; I observe also that
the small birds from Bogota.are much more richly coloured than the larger ones from Ecuador; the throat is of
a more beautiful green, the abdomen much darker, and the reddish-purple o f the ta il more resplendent; believing
the Ecuadorian bird to be distinct, I have no alternative but to give it a name, and I therefore propose for it that
o f Quitensis:—
220. M e t a l l u r a Q u i t e n s i s , Gould.
Habitat. Ecuador.