are all very pretty, if not showy, species ; and one o f them is among the oldest-known members o f the entire
family, as will be seen on reference to the synonyms ; brilliant blue is the prevailing colour o f the males, while the
opposite sex is but plainly attired.
3 8 5 . H y l o c h a r i s s a p p h i r x n a . . . . . . . . . . . y 0 i y p j 34 2
Trochilus sapphirinus Vieill. Ency. Méth. Orn. part ii. p. 570 ; Licht. Dubl. p. 14.
------------ latirostris, Wied, Beitr. iv. p. 64.
Cynanthus sapphirinus, Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-Birds, vol. ii. p. 147.
Hylocharis latirostris, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 19.
Sapphironia sapphirina, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 256.
Hylocharis sapphirim, Rrichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 7 ,pi. 769. figs. 4780-82 ; Burm. Th. Bras. tom. ii. p. 346 ¡ Cab.
et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 43.
Habitat. Brazil.
rhis species arrives in the neighbourhood o f Rio de Janeiro in July, and departs again in November. I have
also seen specimens from Bahia, Para, and other parts on the Lower Amazon.
3 8 6 . H y l o c h a r i s l a c t e a .................................................................................................................................... y 0 j y p j S j §
Trochilus sapphirinus, Wied, Beitr. iv. p. 61.
------------ lazulinus, Licht. in Mus. o f Berlin.
Hylocharis lactea, Cab.et Hein Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 43, note; Reich. Troch. Enum. p. 8, pi. 773, fiirs. 4788-91
Habitat. Eastern and Northern Brazil.
387. H y l o c h a r i s c y a n e a . . . ........................ .....................................................................................Vol. -Vtr . ,P It.r 3 t4o4 . „ .
Trochilus azur eus, Licht. Dubl. p. 14.
Hylocharis cyanea, Reichenb. Anfe. der Col. p. 10 ; Id. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pi. 768. figs. 4777-79 ; Cab. et. Hein
Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 44.
Ormsmya «color, Less. Hist. Nat. des. Ois.-mon. p. 161, pi. 49, 60 ? ? Id. Traité d’Onu p. 280 ? ? Id. Les Troch
p. 58, pi. 16 ??
Habitat. Eastern Brazil from Rio de Janeiro to Bahia, where it is stationary.
Next to Hylocharis I place the two species o f the
Genus S a p p h ir o n ia , Bonap. ;
for although one o f them has a glittering green breast, I consider it to be more nearly allied to that form than to the
ChlorostUbones and their allies. They are very elegant in fon n ; and I believe that the females o f both species differ
very considerably from the males. I consider this genus to be a very natural one ; yet, strange to say, one o f the
species (S', caruleigularis) has a blue breast, while the other is wholly green.
Both are natives o f the Andes—one in Central America, the other in New Granada.
388. S a p p h ir o n ía G o u d o t i . -i, ,
.....................................................................................................................Vol. V. PI. 345.
Agyrtna Goudoti, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pi. 763. figs. 4765-66.
Lepidopyga Goudoti, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 40, note.
Habitat. New Granada.
389. S a p p h ir o n ia c æ r u l e ig u l a r i s , Gould . i t ? ™ , . ’ ..........................................................................................Vol. V. PI. 346.
Agyrtna cæruleigularis, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 7, pi. 764. figs. 4768-69.
Trochilus cyanomelas, Licht. in Mus. o f Berlin.
Cyanophaia caerulescens, “ Lodd.,” Reichenb. in Mus. Heinean.
Hylocharis caerulescens, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 8, pi. 770. fig. 4785.
Lepidopyga caeruleigularis, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 40.
Habitat. Costa Rica and Panama.
I now proceed to the genus
S p o r a d in u s , Bonap.,
the members of which are confined to the W est India Islands. They are very elegant in form, and are o f somewhat
large stze, when compared with those which precede and follow them. They have deeply-forked tails, and the
under surfaces of the males are brilliantly coloured; the females, on the other hand, are very sombrely attired
390. S p o r a d in u s e l e g a n s , , r ..............................................................................................Vol. V. PI. 347.
Trochilus Swainsoni, Jard. Nat. Lib, Humm. Birds, vol. ii. p. 88.
Chlorestes elegans, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 4, pi. 704. f. 4587.
Sporadinus elegans, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 25.
Habitat. The Island o f St. Domingo.
391. S p o r a d in u s R i c o r d i .............................................................................................................................................................................. y pj 3 4 g
Chlorestes Raimondii, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 4, pi. 704. fio-s. 4584-86.
Sporadinus Ricordi, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 25, note.
Habitat. The Island o f Cuba.
392. S p o r a d i n u s ? M a u GíEi ....................................................................................................................... y Qj y pj 34g
Habitat. Porto Rico.
This bird differs somewhat in form from the two preceding species, and it may be found necessary to institute
a separate genus for its reception. I t is a very rare bird, and the two specimens, male and female, in the collection
at the Jardin des Plantes at Paris are the only ones I have ever seen.
The little glittering-green Humming-Birds forming the genera Chlorolampis, Chloristilbon and Panychlora, are
very widely spread over the temperate and warmer parts o f the South American continent, being found along the
whole course o f the great Andean range, from Mexico on the north to Bolivia on the south; they also inhabit
Brazil, Cayenne, the Guianas, Trinidad, and Venezuela. The sexes differ very considerably in colour in nearly
every species,—the males being clothed in a metallic covering, while that o f the females is soft in texture and sombre
in hue.
The members o f the
Genus C h l o r o l a m p is , Cab.,
as restricted by me, are distinguished for their deeply forked tails, most o f the feathers of which are singularly
tipped with dull grey. They range over a great part o f Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Veragua, and Panama,
where they apparently terminate, as I have never received examples from any part southward o f the isthmus. The
finest species o f the genus is the C. auriceps, a bird o f very elegant form, and having a deeply forked ta il; most
nearly allied to this is the C. Caniveti: both these birds are from Mexico. Following these is the little bird I have
named C. Osberti, after Mr. Osbert Salvin; a fourth, from Costa Rica, has been described by Dr. Cabanis as
C. Salvini, after the same gentleman. Very considerable difference occurs in the sexes, but more in colour than in
form; for the females have the tail forked like that o f the males, but to a much less extent.
393. C h l o r o l a m p i s a u r i c e p s .
Chlorostilbon auriceps, G o u l d ..........................................................................................................Vol. V. PI. 350.
Sporadinus auriceps. Bonap, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 255.
Trochilus modestus, Licht. in Mus. o f Berlin ?
Chlorolampis auriceps, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 48, note.
Habitat. Mexico: locality unknown.
394. C h l o r o l a m p i s C a n iv e t i .
Chlorostilbon Caniveti .........................................................................................................Vol. V. PI. 351.
Chlorestes Caniveti, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 4, pi. 703. figs. 4581-83.
Chlorolampis Caniveti, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 47, note.
Habitat. Southern Mexico and Guatemala ?,
395. C h l o r o l a m p i s O s b e r t i , Gould.
Chlorostilbon Osberti, Gould . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. V. PI. 352.
Habitat. The neighbourhood o f Dueñas in Guatemala.
396. C h l o r o l a m p i s S a l v i n i , Cab.
Chlorolampis Salvini, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 48.
Habitat. Costa Rica, according to Dr. Cabanis.
The C. Salvini is nearly allied to C. Osberti and to C. Caniveti, but I believe it to be distinct from both. The