a1. IT. Pl, 79

1. TT. Pl. go.
eenish way.
rts_ brilliant

with bluish

‘homas bird
examination
ntical, from
nm of which
us virginalis.
» and has a
of purplish
1 the bill is

eel Pl. 81,

male in the
-m also, the

ialies which

features of
; of shining
ut for mere
ther nearly
and not the
levelopment
1e members

| am aware,

er Pl. 82:

|. IT. Pl. 88.

Belly, Cl. 8

INTRO DU CLI ON. lv

“This bird,” says Mr. Edward Newton, speaking of the Humming-Birds of St. Thomas and St. Croix, ‘ breeds
from the end of March to the end of June. It is an easy matter to find its nest; for on approaching within two
or three yards of where it is, the bird, if it is on, is sure to fly at you, and then retreating, remains suspended a few
seconds just above your head, when it darts off and perches on some dead twig, most likely on the very tree which
holds its nest. It does not stay here long, but takes short flights into the air, returning to the same place and,
when there, showing its impatience by a continual flirting, or rather twitching, of its wings. If you then retire,
keeping your eye on the bird, it will presently dart straight on to its nest, leaving it, however, at the least move-
ment on your part. ‘This species is not particular as to the tree on which it builds, as I have found nests on the
Silk-cotton, Mango, Manchioneel, and Avocado Pear (Laurus persea, Linn.). They are placed on a horizontal branch,
from half an inch to two inches thick, and are composed of cotton or the down of a species of Cactus, studded on
the outside with white Lichen or shreds of bark, the whole structure measuring nearly two inches across, and built
at the height of from about five to fifteen feet from the ground, sometimes concealed by leaves, at others on an
almost naked bough.’’—Jbis, vol. i. p. 140.

Mr. Newton informs me that the yellow of the base of the bill and gape of this bird shows rather con-

spicuously.

95. EuLampis Loneirostris, Gould.

In its size, general plumage, and style of colouring, this bird is very similar to the E. chlorolemus ; but the
much greater length and curvature of its bill will, I am sure, satisfy the most sceptical that it is quite distinct. I
possess two examples of this, both of which are unfortunately in a very bad state of plumage. One of these was
presented to me by my valued friend Sigismund Rucker, Esq., the other I obtained on the Continent ; I could gain
no information whatever as to its native locality. The average length of the bill in E. chlorolemus is three-quarters
of an inch, while that of E. longirostris is nearly an inch and a quarter.

Habitat. Unknown.

There is scarcely a more isolated form in the family of Trochilide than that for which the generic name of
Lafresnaya was proposed by Bonaparte in honour of the venerable Baron de Lafresnaye ; and it gives me great
pleasure to assist in perpetuating the name of a French nobleman, lately deceased, who devoted the leisure hours
of a long life to the pleasing study of natural history.

Strictly confined to the Andes, one of the species is quite equatorial, the others fly several degrees further
north. The males are very boldly coloured, the brilliant green of their throats and flanks being beautifully relieved
by the velvety black of the abdomen. The females have none of these contrasted colours, their entire under-
surface being spangled with green on a white or a buff ground. The species known are very much alike except in
the colouring and markings of the tail,—one of them having the four outer feathers white tipped with purplish
black, while the same feathers in another are buff tipped with bronzy brown, and the tail of the third is white
tipped with greenish bronze.

Genus Larresnaya, Bonap.

96. LAFRESNAYA FLAVICAUDATA . : : : : : ‘ : : : : : Vol. I Bie sh:
Entima Lafresnayi, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 51.
Halitat. The high lands of New Granada. Common at Bogota and Popayan ; and probably in the northern

parts of Ecuador.

97. LarrREesNAYA Gay . , ; : : : : : : ; : : 5 ‘ Vol. IT. Pl. 86.
Entima Gayi, Cab. et Hem. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 51.

Habitat. Ecuador and Peru.

98. LAFRESNAYA SAULA.
Trochilus Saule, Bourc. Rev. Zool. 1846, p. 309.
Calothorax Saulii, Gray & Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 110, Calothorax, sp. 3.
Lafresnaya Saule, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. tom. i. p. 68, Lafresnaya, sp. 3.
Saul, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 11.

Habitat. Unknown: supposed to be Popayan.