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Show 187L] MR. J. GOULD ON SIX NEW HUMMING-BIRDS. 505 time, but 1 have delayed characterizing it in the hope that other might be received. ERIOCNEMIS RUSSATA, Gould. General plumage of a russet-brown; wings purplish brown ; tail black; boots, or feathery covering of the thighs, rather scant for an Eriocnemis, white in front, and of a light cinnamon or deep buff posteriorly. Total length 3f inches; bill 1, wing 2|, tail 1|. Hab. Ecuador. Supposed to have been obtained on the banks of the Napo ; but this is by no means certain ; my specimens were received from Quito. Remark. Those Trochilidists who are acquainted with the description of the little Eriocnemis aurelice will at once perceive that the present bird is very nearly allied to, and may perhaps consider it to be identical with, that species ; but when I assure them that I have carefully compared three or four examples of this bird, which is from Quito, with at least one hundred specimens of the Bogotan E. aurelice, they will, I trust, do me the justice to believe that I have not characterized it as distinct without due consideration. The E. russata may at all times be distinguished by its larger size, by its russet colouring, and by its much more lengthened bill. POLYTMUS LEUCORRHOUS, Gould. Polytmus leucorrhous, Gould, MS.; Sclat. & Salv. in Proc. of Zool. Soc. 1867, pp. 584, 752. Polytmus leucoproctus, G. R. Gray, Hand-list of Birds, part i. p. 128.no. 1626. Male. The entire upper and under surface pale flowery green, with the exception of the head, which is brown, and the crissum, which is white ; wing-coverts golden green ; wing purplish brown ; tail bright green ; bill light fleshy brown. Total length 3§ inches ; bill f, wing 2\, tail 1\, tarsi T\. Female. Much smaller than the male, but similarly coloured, except that the three outer tail-feathers on each side are tipped with white, like those of the female of Polytmus viridissimus. For our knowledge of the existence of this species we are indebted to the researches of A. R. Wallace, Esq., and Mr. Edward Bartlett, the former having obtained examples at Cobati, on the Rio Negro, and the latter on the river Huallaga, in Eastern Peru. It is most nearly allied to the Polytmus viridissimus of my Monograph of the Trochilidee (see vol. i. Introduction, p. lxxxv, and vol. iv. pl. 231, and 8vo edit, of Intro, p. 127), but differs from that well-known bird in its under tail-coverts being pure white. The specific appellation I have assigned to it first appeared in Messrs. Salvin and Sclater's " List of the Birds collected by Mr. Wallace on the Lower Amazons and Rio Nigro," and subsequently in the same gentlemen's " Catalogue of Birds collected by Mr. E. Bartlett on the River Huallaga, Eastern Peru," above referred to. |