249. P e t a so p h o r a A n a i s Vol. IV. PI. 224.
Petasophora anais, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 250 ; Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 11 ; Cab. et Hein.
Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 26.
Praxilla Anais, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 13.
Habitat. New Granada and Venezuela.
2 5 0 . P e t a so p h o r a io l a t a , G o u l d ................................................................................................................... Vol. IV. PI. 225.
?Trochilus ( Coeligena) Anais, Tschudi, Consp.p.36, No. 201; Id. Faun. Peru. p. 244, N o . 4.
Praxilla iolata, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 13.
Petasophora iolata, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 11.
Petasophora rhodotis “ Gould,” Saucerotte in Mus. Heinean.
------------ iolata, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 26.
Habitat. Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
251. P e t a so p h o r a c o r u s c a n s , Gould . . . . . . . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 226.
Habitat. Unknown.
I have never seen a second example o f this singular bird, which departs from the ordinary species, and assimilates
somewhat to the P . Delphina.
252. P e t a s o p h o r a t h a l a s s t n a . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 227.
Trochilus Anais, Swains. Birds o f Brazil, pi. 75.
Omismya Anais, Less. Supp, des Ois.-mou. pi. 32.
Ramphodon Amis, Less. Troch. p. 148, pi. 56 ?
Trochilus Anais, Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-Birds, vol. ii. p. 2 ?
Cynanthus thalassinus, Jard. ib. p. 148.
Colibris thalassina, Sclat. in Proc. o f Zool. Soc., part. xxiv. p. 287.
Petasophora thalassina, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 250 ; Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 27 ;
Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 11.
Praxilla thalassina, Reichenb Aufz. der Col. p. 13.
Habitat. Mexico and Guatemala.
“ The barrancos o f the Volcan de Fuego are favourite resorts o f this species. A specimen obtained at Dueñas
on the 15th o f September was the only one I saw out on the llano, as the bird is usually found in the dense forest.”
—Salvin in Ibis, vol. ii. p. 260.
253. P e t a so p h o r a c y a n o t i s . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 228.
Omismya Amis, Less. Troch. p. 151, pi. 57 ?
Praxilla cyanotis, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 13.
Petasophora cyanotus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 11.
------------ cyanotis, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 251 ; Cab. e t Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 26.
Habitat. New Granada and Venezuela.
254. P e t a s o p h o r a D e l p h in æ . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 229.
Telesiella Delphina, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 13.
Petasophora Delphina, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 11.
------------ delphina, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. deZool. 1854, p. 251.
Telesilla Delphina, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 27.
Habitat. The Guianas, Trinidad, Venezuela, Guatemala, New Granada, and Ecuador.
“ This Humming-Bird seems to have been quite unknown at Coban previously to the collection o f my specimens.
The first was shot by my collector, Cipriano Prado, among some Salvia, in one o f the mountain hollows near
Coban. Salvia being in flower in November, their blossoms are sought after by nearly every species o f Humming-
Bird near Coban, and this among the rest. It is rare even at Coban ; and though much sought for by the Indian
boys in consequence o f my offers o f reward, but few specimens were obtained.
“ Three males to one female appears to be about the proportion o f the sexes.”—Salvin in Ibis, vol. ii. p. 261.
There is no one genus among the Trochilidæ that has more sadly puzzled me, and doubtless other ornithologists,
than that containing the two species known under the specific names o f virescens and viridissimus ( Chrysobron-
chus virescens and C. viridicaudus of my Plates) , no two persons agreeing as to the place they should fill in the family.
Dr. Cabanis, in Bis ‘ Museum Heineanum,’ is of opinion that the generic name o f Polytmus, proposed by Brisson in
1760, is the one under which they should be retained. Although I concur in this opinion, I cannot agree with him
in placing them near to the genus Glauds; and I may be open to criticism in ranging them here, but I really cannot
find a better situation for them. I have stated that there are two species o f this form, but I have some reason to
believe there is a third, as I have a small specimen collected by M. Warszewicz on the River Magdalena, which may
prove to be distinct; but until I have further evidence that such is the case, I decline to characterize i t : independently
o f its smaller size, it has much more white on the tail than any other I have seen.
Genus P o l y tm u s , B riss.
The P . virescens and P . viridissimus are the only species yet characterized of this genus. They are distinguished
by the golden hues o f their throats. A great similarity exists between the sex e s; but the young o f P . virescens
have reddish-brown breasts, and are altogether different in colour from the adults.
255. P o l y tm u s v i r e s c e n s .
Chrysobronchus virescens . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 230.
Polytmus thaumantias, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 5.
Habitat. Trinidad; Venezuela; and New Granada ?
256. P o l y t m u s v i r i d i s s im u s .
Chrysobronchus v i r i d i c a u d u s ................................................................................... Vol. IV. PI. 231.
Omismya viridis, Less. Les Troch. p. 96, pi. 33.
Trochilus virescens, Wied., Beitr. iv. p. 107.
Amazilia viridissima, Bonap. Gen. Av. tom. i. p. 77, Amazilia, sp. 4.
Smaragditis viridissima, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 7.
Chrysobronchus viridissimus, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 252.
Chlorestes viridissimus, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 4, pi. 695. figs. 4547-48.
Thaumatias viridissimus, Burm. Th. Bras. tom. ii. p. 344.
Thatmatias chrysurus, Burm. ib. p. 345.
Trochilus viridicaudus, Sauc. MSS.
* prasinus, Licht. in Mus. of Berlin.
Polytmus Theresia, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 5.
Habitat. The banks o f the Amazon, from Para to the confines of Peru. I have also received specimens from
Demerara.
I have before stated that it would be impossible to arrange the Humming-Birds on the score o f affinity; and
I repeat that the various genera are so widely different, and so many connecting forms are wanting, that it is quite
out o f the question to attempt their arrangement on this ground. I t is o f little importance, then, where we place
the bird known under the name o f Patagom gigas and distinguished from all others by its great size, its ample
wings, its sombre colouring, and by the similarity in the plumage o f the two sexes. At present the single species
which has been characterized, and which ranges from Ecuador to the southern parts o f Chili, where it it a migrant,
is all that is known o f this form; but I observe that the Chilian and Ecuadorian specimens differ considerably
in size, the latter being the largest.
Genus P a t a g o n a , G. R . Gray.
257. P a t a g o n a g i g a s .......................................................................................................................................................................................Vo 1 , | j S 232‘
Hypermetra gigas. Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 81.
Trochilus gigas, Bridges, Proc. o f Zool. Soc. part xi. p. 114; Darwin, Zool. o f Beagle, part iii. Birds, p. 111.
Habitat. Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.
“ The American Aloe (Agave Americana) is the only plant this bird is ever seen feeding upon in Ecuador.”—
Jameson and Fraser in Ibis, vol. i. p. 400.
“ This species,” says Mr. Darwin, “ is common in Central Chile. I t is a large bird for the delicate family to which
it belongs. At Valparaiso, in the year 1834, I saw several o f these birds in the middle o f August, and I was
informed they had only lately arrived from the parched deserts o f the north. Towards the middle o f September
(the vernal equinox) their numbers were greatly increased. They breed in Central Chile, and replace, as I have
before said, the foregoing species ” ( Eustephanus galeritus), “ which migrates southward for the same purpose. The