ATTHIS ELLIOTI, Ridgway.
Elliot’s Flame-bearer.
Selasphorus heloisce, Scl. & Salv. (n e c Less. & Delattre), Ibis, 1859, p. 1 2 9 .— Salvin, Ibis,
1 8 6 0 , pp. 1 9 6 , 2 66.
A tth is heloisa (p t.) , Baird, Brewer and Ridgway, H ist. North-Amer. Birds, ii. p. 4 6 5 (1 8 7 4 ,
spec, e x Guatemala).
A tth is ellioti, Ridgway, Proc. U .S . Nat. Mus. 1 8 7 8 , p. 9.— Elliot, Synopsis o f the Humming-
Birds, p. 1 1 4 (1 8 7 8 ).
T his species o f Atthis re p re se n ts in Gua temala th e well-known Atthis heloisce o f S o uthe rn Mexico.
As Mr. Ridgwav remarks in his original description, it may be immediately distinguished by the very different
form o f the outer primary, the redder and more uniform colour of the throat-gorget, and the shorter bill.
The outer primary in A. ellioti is broad, with the end not attenuated; and the gorget is uniform purplish
red without varying olivaceous tints, with the culmen 0 ‘3 8 -0 '4 0 ; whereas in A. heloisce the culmen
measures 0*48-0’50, and the outer primary is very narrow, with the end abruptly attenuated, while the
gorget is reddish violet, showing decided violet tints in certain lights.
These differences do not strike one as being very strongly pronounced; but as they appear to be constant,
the Guatemalan species will henceforth be known as A. ellioti.
The specific characters of the adult male are thus given by Mr. Ridgway:—
“ Outer primary broad, the end not attenuated. Gorget uniform reddish purple (much as in Calypte
annce'), without varying tints o f violet as in A. heloisce; jugulum wholly white; middle of the abdomen
white; sides light rufous, slightly glossed with golden green ; crissum white, tinged with light rufous.
Upper parts metallic green, decidedly less golden than in A . heloisce. Tail with the basal half (approximately)
bright cinnamon-rufous, the subterminal portion black; three outer feathers on each side tipped with
rusty white; the middle pair with the black portion above glossed with metallic green anteriorly. Wings
uniform dusky, the smaller coverts metallic green. Wing 1*35 inch, tail 1‘0—1'05.
I have not given a figure o f this species, the differences detailed above being sufficient to distinguish it
from A. heloisce.