Pe TT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVI
width — externally three inches and a half deep, internal depth a little under one

.ct ig deep in proportion to its ge
<a and two-tenths ; mouth slightly contracted. Externally it is formed

idth within one inch | : | 2
and attached by one side, and bottom, to some thin upright twigs ; internally

When on the wing, the appearance

inch and three quarters, W

of fine fibrous grass woven together, |
ith a felt, formed of the pappus of some composite flower. ,
e genus, it moves from place to place with a rapidity which may be com-

mong Moths; but whilst hovering over a flower, it flaps its

it is thickly lined w
of this bird is smgular. Like others of th
pared to that of Syrphus among Diptera, and Sphing a

wings with a very slow and powerful movement, totally different from that vibratory one, common to most of the
ings

species, which produces the humming noise. I never saw any other bird, where the force of its wings appeared
Ps 3

(as in a butterfly) so powerful in proportion to the weight of its body. When hovering by a flower, its tail is

shut like a fan, the body being kept in a nearly vertical position. This action appears to

constantly expanded and
Although flying from flower to flower in

and support the bird, between the slow movements of its wings.

steady
f insects, which I suspect are much more the

search of food, its stomach generally contained abundant remains 0

object of its search than honey is. The note of this species, like that of nearly the whole family, is extremely

shrill.” —Darwin, Zoology of the Beagle, part iii. Birds, p. 111.
“The Troch. gigas is found in all the central provinces of Chile; it is see
and summer months, feeding on the flowers of Pourretia coarctata and Lobelia polyphylla in preference to others. It

its nest near a little rivulet, frequently on a solitary twig or branch over the water; the nest is

n about Valparaiso during the spring

generally builds
beautifully constructed, and is composed of moss and the down of a species of Gnaphalium. Eggs white ; iris dark

brown. Catches flies.” —Bridges in Proc. Zool. Soc. part vi. p. 114.

The forms to which we now proceed are mostly of large size, have straight lengthened bills, and are very
gorgeously coloured. These straight and prolonged bills are in unison with the flora with which they are associated,
particularly such deep tubular flowers as those of the genera Brugmansia, Lepageria, Nematanthus, Tacsonia, Alstre-
meria, Dipladema, &c.

The first genus is that of Docimastes. Of this remarkable form, the single species known stands alone among
Humming-Birds for the great length of its bill. Nature here appears to have carried the development of this organ
to its maximum; and how wonderfully is it adapted for exploring the lengthened tubular flowers from which the

bird obtains its insect food!

Genus Docimasres, Gould.

(Aoxiage, exploro.)
Generic characters.
Male.— Bill of extraordinary length, exceeding that of the head and body, and inclining upwards ; wings long
and pointed ; tail moderately long and forked ; tarsi short and partially clothed; feet small; hind toe shorter than
the middle toe; face and gorget dull; sides of the chest luminous.

Female.— Unadorned.

258. DocIMASTES ENSIFERUS

E Vol. IV. Pl. 233.
Docimastes Derbyanus, Licht. in Mus. Berlin.

——— ensifera, Cab. et Hein. Mus Hein. Theil iii. p. 77.
Habitat. Columbia and Ecuador.

Specim 1 1 i
| pecimens from the neighbourhood of Bogota differ from those received from Quito in being of much smaller
size; but I consider these as mere races of one and the same species, for I ¢

pe an see no characters on which a specific
distinction could be founded.

The next species is i i 5; : ;
gist oe a Pame torts gxeat size, the elegance of its proportions, and the beauty and harmony

of its colours. This new and extraordinary bird I h

reson ave named Eugenia Imperatrix in honour of the Empress of the

Genus Eugenia, Gould.

: (Eugenia, nom. propr.)
Generic characters.

Male.— Bill straight or sli ovata’
: eg r slightly inclining u
= S g upwards or hc ee ae :
= upwards, longer than the head ; wings long ; primaries rigid ; tail long