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INTRODUCTION.

   
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
   
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
  
    
    
  
   

Oo t 3 iSite! Ss 1 ops O Ss Ss 2} Or iG
and uttering a slight cry .
t ag eS a continual and ter rible Wal with them.

humid districts borde

antly pursuing one another, It is very airy in its flight, and rarely per-

which are const
mits any other Humming-Bird to remain in its neighbourhood, bu

ian Humming-Birds, the R. Vespera, constitutes the

The largest species of the luminous lilac-throated Peruv

Genus Ruoporis, Reichenb.,
if I act with consistency, than to adopt.

the form differs from all the others, I have no other alternative,

which, as ne ,
and rigid, not soft and yielding as in the 7. Core. 1

It has a deeply forked tail, the feathers of which are narrow
have never seen a second species of this particular form. ‘The female, like that sex in many other allied genera, is

destitute of brilliant colouring.

Vol: III: Pl 154.

173. RHODOPIS VESPERA

Habitat. Peru.

Not less beautiful in the colouring of their gorgets are the members of the

Genus Doricua, Retchend.

The D. Eliza, the Guatemalan bird known as enicura, and the less-known Bahama species D. Evelyne are all

associated by me in this genus; and if the plates on which they are respectively figured be referred to, it will be

seen how beautiful are the throat-markings of the males.

174. Doricua ELiz.

Vol. TE. Risa:

Thaumastura Eliz ; : ' ; : :
Thaumastura Eliza, Montes de Oca in Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1860, p. 552.

Habitat. Southern Mexico.

“This,” says M. Montes de Oca, “is one of the rarest of the Mexican Humming-Birds. It is small, very
beautiful, and flies with wonderful rapidity, moving its wings with such velocity that it is almost impossible to see
them; and it might easily be mistaken for a large bee, from the buzzing sound produced by their incessant motion.
In the vicinity of Jalapa it is called Mirto de Colo de tisera, or the spear-tailed Myrtle-sucker. It is very shy, and
differs in its habits and manners from all other species. It is onthe wing very early in the morning ; and I have
never seen any of the few specimens that have come under my observation between the hours of seven or eight
o’clock a.m. and five p.m., when they are again to be met with until dusk. When it has once been detected feeding
at any particular spot, it is almost sure to be found there at the same hour for several days in succession. It feeds
oH the Masapan ad Tobaco flowers, preferring, I think, the latter. It is also found and breeds at the Barrancas de
Jico (or the Precipices of Jico), about twenty miles from Jalapa. The nest, which is very small, round, flat at the
bottom, and neither so deep nor so thick at the base as those of most Humming-Birds, is covered on the outside

with moss from stones, and lined with tule, or cat-tail silky floss.”

175. DoricHa EVELYN.
Thaumastura Evelyne . : : : :
: : : : : ; : : Vol Ii Bi S6

Habitat. Bahama Islands.

176. DorIcHA ENICURA.

Thaumastura enicura

Habitat. Guatemala. Vol III. Pl. 157.

‘“On no occasion,” says Mr. Salvin. «“
sion, says Mr. Salvin, “ were the males : j

J the pee eno re : .

males of this species observed about Duefas during the months

ed it was not until the month
| ) of May that both :
at which time the Nopal of the cochineal plant eee

of February and March; inde
ere seen together,

ations being j van
; cing im full flower, great numbers of Humming-Birds,
eding fr manne

g from the blossoms of that cactus. The females during the

; z and frequent the same places
Cyanomyia cyanocephala.”’—Ibis, vol. i. p. 129.

especially of this species, were in the habit of fe

inter mo } are co mM enc oO = Ss
W t ( ths -OmmM<¢ IU VL nd fe | ~ © ll rT th ao t rees S th e

Occasionally when fl Bl 1g o t =
. ’ Vil g the elon ate al ae S ii t | i l y
= ga ed tail fe athers ares re chec Oa consid arab e ang —_— bis V ol ll 40
S € : Cc is, 7OL.1 -p. .

Speaking of three nests is j
Spee 5 sts of this s 1esS r Soly]
5 pecies Mr Ac aly In Says nee One

of these was in a coffee-tree, and had two eggs.
a fruit of the Nopal (Cactus cochinellifer), the

sal en cee
, and thus retaining the whole structure most

he other was most curiously placed in the cup-shaped top of
aang 0

fe ster i 1gs being d x : y € st Vy
iste 1 gs oa exter ously wound r
> . round I reat ster] l Yl
1 Cc ster £ VICK es