association; each is governed by his individual preference, and each attends to his own affairs. It is worthy
of remark, that males compose by far the greater portion of the individuals observed at this elevation, while
very few females are seen there ; whereas in the lowlands this sex outnumbers as other. In March a con-
siderable number are found to be clad in the livery of the adult male, but without the long tail-feathers,
while others possess them in various stages of development. These are, I have no doubt, males of the
preceding season. It is also quite common to find one of these lengthened feathers much shorter than the
other; and in their aérial encounters with each other a tail-feather is sometimes displaced. The whirring
sound made by the rapid vibration of the wings of the male is more shrill than that produced by those of
the female, and indicates the proximity of the bird before the eye has detected it. The male utters an
almost incessant chirp, both while resting upon a twig and while feeding from the flowers. They do not
invariably probe the flowers upon the wing, but may frequently be seen thus engaged when alighted and
sitting with closed wings; and they often partially sustain themselves while feeding by clinging with the
feet to a leaf with the wings expanded and vibrating.”. . . . . When perched, << they usually sit in a nearly
upright posture with the head thrown somewhat backwards, the beak pointing at a small angle above the
horizon, the feet almost hidden by the body being brought into contact with the perch, the tail thrown
somewhat forward under the belly, and the long feathers crossing each other near their middle.”

Mr. Gosse states, that they do not confine themselves to any particular season for nidification, but that he
found the nests most numerous in June; while Mr. Hill considers the breeding season to be at its height

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

in January. The situation of the nest too appears to be very various, Mr. Gosse having found one
attached to the hanging fibre of the root of a tree which had entwined itself round the projecting points of

 

an overhanging limestone rock in a deep and thickly wooded dell; another stuck on a twig of a sea-side
grape-tree (Coccoloba), at about fifteen feet from the ground, the tree itself being so near to the water that
some of the branches hung over it; another on a hanging twig of a black mangrove-tree, the twig passing

 

perpendicularly through the side and out at the bottom; and another on a twig of a wild coffee-tree
( Letramerium odoratissimum). The nest is principally ‘< composed of silk cotton very closely pressed, mixed
with the still more glossy cotton of an Asclepias, particularly around the edge ; the seed remaining attached

 

 

to some of the filaments. On the outside the whole structure is quite covered with spiders’-web, crossed

 

and recrossed in every direction, and made to adhere by some viscous substance, evidently applied after the

 

 

web was placed, probably saliva. Little bits of pale green lichen, and fragments of thin laminated bark, are

 

 

 

 

stuck here and there on the outside by means of the webs having been passed over them.” The whole
forms “a very compact cup, 12‘inch deep without, and 1 inch deep within; the sides about + inch thick,
the inner margin a little overarching, so as to narrow the opening ; the total diameter at the top 1+ inch.”

 

The eggs are of a long oval form, and of a pure white, save that when fresh the contents produce a reddish

 

tinge, from the thinness of the shell; they are seven-twelfths of an inch long by four-twelfths of an inch

 

broad. The above, adds Mr. Gosse, is the usual «“ form, dimensions, and materials of the nest. Variations,
however, often occur from local causes: thus in one from a rocky situation only moss is used, and the base
is prolonged to a point; one now before me is wholly composed of pure silk cotton bound profusely with
the finest web, undistinguishable except on the closest examination ; not a fragment of lichen mars the
beautiful uniformity of its appearance; others are studded all over with lichens and have a peculiar rustic
prettiness.” That the chief food of the Humming-bird consists of insects, we have abundant evidence from
examination of the stomachs of many species; they are usually sought for in the deep flower-cups, but that
they are also obtained by hawking in the air, we learn from Mr. Gosse, who states that he has distinctly seen
‘the minute flies in the air, which it pursued and caught, and heard repeatedly the snapping of the beak.”

It will be seen that I have drawn very largely from the rich store of observations recorded by Mr. Gosse,
aud much more might be extracted with advantage, particularly a long and most interesting account of the

various attempts made by that gentleman at domesticating this very lovely species, for which, however, I
must beg to refer the reader to his “ Birds of Jamaica.”

 

 

The male has the crown of the head and the nape deep velvety black; upper surface green; wings
purplish black ; tail deep black, glossed with green at the base; throat, breast and belly lustrous emerald

green; vent and under tail-coverts bluish black ; irides black ; bill coral-red, the tip black; feet brown.

Total length, 10 inches; bill, 1; wing, 22; tail, 71; tarsus, 1.

The female has all the upper surface green with a bronzy lustre, deepening into brown on the forehead ;
wings as in the male; two centre tail-feathers bronzy green, the remainder deep blue glossed with bronzy
green on the basal portion of the external web, except the two outer feathers on each side which are deep
blue largely tipped with white; under surface white, the tips of the feathers on the sides of the neck and
flanks glossy green; irides dark brown ; bill reddish brown, black at the edges and tip; feet brownish black.

Total length, 4+ inches ; bill, 1; wing, 2+; tail, 12; tarsus, 1.

The Plate represents two adult males, a young male, a female, and a nest, all of the natural size.