CALLIPHLOX AMETHYSTIN A.
The Amethyst.
Trochilw amethystinm, Gmel. Edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 496.—Lath. Ind. Om., vol. i.
p. 319.—Vieill. Ency. Méth. Om., part ii. p. 561.— Pr. Max. Beitr. zur Naturg.
von Bras., p. 90.— Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. vih. p. 328.—Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming
Birds, vol. ii. p. 64. pl..9.
L ’Oiseau-mouc/ie AmétJmte, Buff. Hist. Nat. des Ois., tom. vi. p. 16.—Audeb. et Vieill. Ois,
dor., tom. i. p. 115.
Petit Oiseau-mouche à queue fourchue de Cayenne, Buff. PI. Enl. 672. fig. 1.
Ornismya amethystina, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois. Mou., p. 150. pl. 47.— lb. Les Troch., p. 90.
pi. 30. nest, & p. 140. pi. 52 ?—lb . Traité d’Om. p. 274.
— amethystoides, Less. Les Troch., pp. 81, 83. & pis. 26, 27. p. 79. & pi. 25 ?
— orthura, Less. Les Troch., p. 85. pi. 28. p. 88. pi. 29.
Mellisuga amethystina, Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiv. p. 243.—Gray and Mitch.
Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 113, Mellisuga, sp. 72.
— amethystoides, Gray and Mitch. Gen. o f Birds, vol. i. p. 113, Mellisuga, sp. 73.
Trochilus campestris, Pr. Max. Beitr. zur Naturg. von Bras., p. 73.
Tryphana amethystinus, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 84, Tryphana, sp. 2.
-------------- amethystina, Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 257.
Calliphlox amethystina, Rcichenb. Aufz. der Colibris, p. 12.— lb. Troch. enumer., p. 10.
Amethystine Humming Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 787.— lb . Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 357.__
Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 328.
Tiypliana Amethystina, Gould, in Description o f T. Daponti.
Two supposed species of this form have been described and figured in works on Ornithology, under the
names of Amethystina and Amethystoides; the former of which is said to inhabit Cayenne and Brazil, and
the latter Brazil only. The young bird of one of them is figured under another name—that of orthura;
hence has arisen much confusion respecting the synonymy of this species. I may state, that never having seen
a bird from any country precisely accordant with M. Lesson’s figure of Amethystoides, which is said to have
been taken from a Minas Geraes specimen, 1 am unable to say whether it be or be not a species; at
present I am inclined to consider it identical with the present bird, which opinion is in some measure
confirmed by a remark of Mr. Reeves, that the Amethystina from Minas Geraes, though smaller, is probably
the same, as he observes that all the Humming Birds from that province are smaller than those from Rio
de Janeiro and have feathers of a drier texture.
In justice to M. Bourcier, who furnished M. Lesson with the specimens from which his figures were
taken, I append a few lines just received from him respecting Amethystina and Amethystoides —
“ These two species have a general resemblance, especially in the adult state, but there are well-marked
characters in the plumage of the young and of the females; it was this which determined me, when M. Lesson
was publishing “ Les Trochilidees,” to give him several examples for examination, and it was among the
younger specimens that he fancied he had discovered a new species, to which he gave the name of
orthura, which however is only the young of Amethystina.”
I may here be permitted to remark, that I suspect M. Bourcier must be mistaken, when he says that the