ERIOCNEMIS DYSELIUS, Elliot.
Black-vented Puff-leg\
Enocnemis dyselius, Ellio t, Ibis, 1 8 7 2 , p. 2 9 4 .— Sclater & Salv. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 91
( 1 8 7 3 ) .— Mulsant, Nat. H ist. Oiseaux-Mouches, iii. p. 5 0 (1 8 7 6 ).— Elliot,
Synopsis o f th e Humming-Birds, p. 1 9 4 (1 8 7 8 ).
T his species is unknown to me; but the type is in Mr. Elliot’s collection. It is supposed to have come from
Ecuador; but Mr. Elliot does not state from whom he received the specimen. It belongs to the section ot
the genus in which the downy puffs on the tarsi are white, and it differs from all the allied species in having
the under tail-coverts purplish black instead of grey, green, or shining blue.
Mr. Elliot writes:— “ Among the many groups that comprise the great family of the Trochilidae, there
are few more strongly characterized than that of Eriocnemis, from the fact that all its members are possessed
of very conspicuous tufts o f various colours, viz. white, black, brown, or brown and white, which cover the
tarsi, and from which the species have obtained the trivial name of ‘ Puff-leg.’
“ Four specimens, precisely alike, were, as I was informed, contained in the small collection of birds
from which my example was taken ; and although no locality was given, it is supposed that Ecuador is the
habitat o f the species. I propose to call it, from its sombre plumage, Eriocnemis dyselius.”
The following is a copy o f Mr. Elliot’s original description •
“ Head, and entire upper parts, black with a purplish gloss; upper tail-coverts having a very dark
greenish g lo ss; throat and underparts black, but not of so deep a shade as the upper parts, purplish on the
abdomen ; wings purplish black ; tarsi thickly covered with pure white downy feathers ; under tail-coverts
purplish black; tail rather deeply forked, steel-blue, with purple reflections; the bill is perfectly straight
and rather slender. Total length 4 inches, wing 2 i, tail H, bill f .”
ERIOCNEMIS CHRYSORAMA, Elliot.
Blue-vented Puff-leg.
Eriocnemis chrysmama, Ellio t, Ann. & Mag. N a t. Hist. ( 4 ) xiii. p. 3 7 5 (1 8 7 4 ) .— Mulsant,
H ist. N a t. Oiseaux-Mouches, iii. p. 4 4 (1 8 7 6 ).— Elliot, Synopsis o f the Humming-
Birds, p. 1 9 3 (1 8 7 8 ).
T he present species is from Ecuador, and Is, as far as I know, only represented in collections by the single
typical specimen in the possession of Mr. Elliot. It belongs to the section of the genus Eriocnemis with
white puffs ou the legs, and is distinguished further by its metallic yellowish-green throat, its general copper-
coloured plumage, steel-blue tail, and shining blue under tail-coverts.
The following description is taken from Mr. Elliot’s ‘ Synopsis
“ Upper and lower surfaces metallic fiery copper-colour ; chin and throat metallic yellowish-green, golden
yellow in some lights ; upper tail-coverts luminous yellowish green ; under tail-coverts white on their basal
half, rest blue; wings purplish brown; tail much forked, steel-black; tarsal tufts pure white; bill black.
Total length 4h inches, wing 2f, tail l i , bill i . ”