315. C y a n o m y ia c y a n o c e p h a l a . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. V. PI. 286.
Omismya cyanocephala, Less. Supp. des Ois.-mou. p. 134, pi. 18.
Polytmus verticalis, Gray & Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 109, Polytmus, sp. 86.
? Uranomitra cyanocephala, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 10.
Cyanomyia cyanocephala, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254 ; Montes de .Oca, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
Philad. 1860, p. 80.
Agyrtria Faustine, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pi. 760. figs. 4756-57.
Agyrtria cyanocephala, Reichenb. ib. p. 7, pi. 760. figs. 4754-55.
Uranomitra Lessoni, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 41.
Habitat. Southern Mexico.
“ This Humming-Bird,” says M. Montes de Oca, “ is generally known by the name o f Chupa-mirto comm de
pecho blanco, or Common White-breasted Myrtle-sucker. I t is found very abundantly and at all seasons o f the year
in the vicinity o f Jalapa, Coatepec, Orizaba, and many other places in Mexico, where it remains all the year round,
and I have often found its nest in the months o f April and May.
“ The nest o f this species, like those o f nearly all the Humming-Birds o f this part o f Mexico (Jalapa), is lined
with the lull silky floss, and is most ingeniously covered on the outside with moss from the rocks. The e°-<*s
are generally two in number, but upon one occasion I found three in a nest.”
In my account o f this species, I have stated that it was found in Guatemala as well as Mexico; and although
this may be the case, I believe the latter country to be its true habitat. Guatemalan differ from Mexican specimens
in the colouring o f the tail-feathers; in the latter they are olive-green, in the former rich bronzy-green. Under
these circumstances I cannot regard them as identical, I must therefore give the Guatemalan bird a distinctive
appellation:—
316. C y a n o m y i a G u a t e m a l e n s i s , Gould.
Cyanomyia cyanocephala, Salvin in Ibis, vol. ii. p. 39.
Habitat. Guatemala.
“ Last year, in a cypress tree near the house at Dueñas, a pair o f these birds built their nest. This year I found
a branch o f the same tree similarly tenanted, the new nest being only a few yards from the site o f the old one. To
obtain it, I was obliged to cut away the branch; and though, in falling, the nest was quite thrown on its side, the
eggs, much to my surprise, did not fall o u t: this I afterwards found was owing to the lip o f the nest turning
inwards. Another pair commenced building near the house; and the male bird frequently came while I was
preparing skins in the corridor, and took pieces o f cotton almost from my hand. In the afternoon o f August 14,
my friend Mr. Wyld observing it making a descent upon some small object in his room, shut the window and called
me. The intruder, who was wearied from fluttering against the window, suffered itself to be caught. In a very
few moments its agitation ceased, and it seemed to be taking advantage o f its comfortable place in my hand to rest
from its fatigues, making no attempt to escape. Before letting it go, I procured a piece o f sugar, and, after dipping
it in water, put it to the tip o f its bill. Almost immediately its long tongue was employed in sucking up the
liquid. On liberating it, it flew to a tree close at hand, and seemed to take no further notice o f its late captivity.”
—Salvin in Ibis, vol. ii. p. 39.
317. C y a n o m y ia F r a n c i a s ................................................................................................................................................. y ol y ¡ j | 2 g 7
Agyrtria Franciae, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pi. 761. figs. 4760-61.
Trochilus hypoleucus, Licht in Mus. o f Berlin.
Uranomitra Franciae, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 41.
Habitat. New Granada.
318. C y a n o m y i a c y a n i c o l l i s , Gould . . . . Vol. y pj gas
Agyrtria cyanicollis, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 7.
Uranomitra cyanicollis, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hem. Theil iii. p. 41, note.
Habitat. Peru
Nearly allied to Cyanomyia is the
Genus H e m i s t i l b o n , Gould.
_ . ('H/W-, semi, et aríX^av, micans.)
Generic characters.
Male.— Bill longer than the head and straight; wings moderately long and considerably curved; tail rather
short and truncate; tarsi clothed; feet rather small; hind toe shorter than the middle to e ; mils short and
curved.
Although I have placed this genus next to Cyanomyia, I consider that it has some relationship to the Amazilue.
319. H e m i s t i l b o n O c a i , Gould.
Amazilia Ocai, G o u l d .................................................................................................................... Vol. V. PI. 289.
Pyrrhophaena Ocai, (Jab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 36, note.
Habitat. Mexico.
This beautiful species was discovered by M. Rafael Montes de Oca at Xalapa.
In this genus I provisionally place the Trochilus Norrisi, of which a single specimen exists in the Loddigesian
collection, but unfortunately is so situated that I could not subject it to so careful an examination as I could have
desired.
320. H e m i s t il b o n N o r r i s i .
Trochilus Norrisii, Bourc. Proc. o f Zool. Soc. part xv. p. 47.
Polytmus Norrisi, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 108, Polytmus, sp. 71.
Amazilia Norrisii, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 10 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 8.
Amazilia norrisi, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 254.
Pyrrhophaena Norrisi, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 36, note.
Habitat. Bolanos in Central Mexico.
A t present only one species is known o f the
Genus L e u c i p p u s , Bonap. ;
but I am inclined to believe that other birds o f this form e x is t; indeed I have all but positive evidence that such is
the case, in a specimen killed by M. Warszewicz in Peru, which for the present I decline describing, as it may
possibly b e only a female o f some unknown species, the male o f which will be differently coloured.
321. L e u c i p p u s c h i o n o g a s t e r Vol. V. PI. 290.
Leucippus chionogaster, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 31.
Habitat. Peru and Bolivia.
Genus L e u c o c h l o r i s , Reichenb.
This is another form o f which a single species only has yet been discovered.
322. L e u c o c h l o r i s a l b ic o l l i s .................................................... • Vol. V. PI. 291.
Trochilus vulgaris, Wied, Beitr. iv. p. 72.
Leucippus albicollis, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 8, pl. 782. figs. 4818-19.
Agyrtria albicollis, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 32.
Thaumatias albicollis, Burm. Th. Bras. tom. ii. p. 342.
Habitat. B razil; and Tucuman, according to Dr. Burmeister.
This is a very pretty species, distinguished by its green and white plumage. The sexes are alike in external
appearance.
The genus Thaumatias, as proposed by Bonaparte and adopted by me, comprises many species respecting
which much confusion exists, especially with regard to the names applied to them by the older authors; some
confusion also occurs with respect to the species I have called Thaumatias Linruei, which I fear cannot be satisfactorily
unravelled. I f it should be decided that it is not the bird Bonaparte intended, I trust it will be allowed
to stand as the “ Thaumatias Linnati, Gould, nec Bonap.” The other synonyms may or may not be applicable to it,
but they are given on the authority o f M. Bourcier o f Paris. This is another o f those instances which unfortunately
occur too frequently for the advantage o f scien ce; I mean the impossibility o f determining the species intended in
the curt descriptions left us by Gmelin and others o f Tobaci or Tobagensis, Ourissia, cum multis aliis.
Genus T h a u m a t ia s , Bonap.
The species o f this form are natives o f Brazil, the banks o f the Rivers Amazon and Napo, the Guianas, the