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XXV1
ee : . ; » bird: > captured in
obtained by means of birdlime ; and this ts evidently the way in which these birds are captured the
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neighbourhood of Chuquisaca.

1 ird i ° ie - of sone. we learn from the notices respecting
That the Humming-Bird is not altogether denied the power of song, we lez I g

its vocalization by various authors; but as this is a point upon which I cannot speak from personal

observation, I shall take the liberty of quoting from those who have written on the subject. To begin

with the remarks of my friend Mr. W. C. L. Martin :—

“Tt is not to the most beautiful birds that the voice of melody is given. The Mocking-Bird, the

Nightingale, and the Thrush are but. plainly attired ; and it would appear that if Nature be lavish in one
respect, she is parsimonious in another. On the Humming-Birds she has bestowed the gift of beauty: she
has created them winged gems—she has chased their plumage with burnished metals or overspread it
with lamine of topaz and emerald—she has strained, so to speak, at every variety of effect—she has revelled
in an infinitude of modifications, whether we look at the hue or the development of the feathering. We
can scarcely, then, expect that, to such an external perfection, the gift of song will be also added; and,
indeed, when we reflect upon the structure of the tongue, of the os hyoides which supports its base, and
of the mechanism by which it is rendered capable of protrusion, remembering that the os hyoides is
connected with the larynx, we cannot in reason suppose that these birds can be eminent as songsters. _ Never-

theless it would appear that some species at least utter, while perched, a sort of querulous warble.

‘The ordinary cry of the Humming-Birds is sharp and shrill, generally uttered on the wing, and
frequently reiterated by the males during their combats with each other. It is principally, says Lesson, in
passing from one place to another, that their cry, which he likens to the syllables ¢ére-tére, articulated with
more or less force, is excited. Most frequently, he says, they are completely dumb; and he adds that he
has passed whole hours in observing them in the forests of Brazil without having heard the slightest sound

proceed from their throats.”

Mr. Gosse, in his ‘ Birds of Jamaica,’ speaking of a species which he calls the Vervain Humming-Bird
(the Mellisuga minima of this work), says, “The present is the only Humming-Bird that I am acquainted
with that has a real song. Soon after sunrise, in the spring months, it is fond of sitting on the topmost
branch of a mango or orange-tree, where it warbles in a very weak, but very sweet tone, a continuous melody

for ten minutes at a time; it has little variety. The others only utter a pertinacious chirping.”

It will be expected that some remarks should now be made with regard to the luminous character of
certain parts of the plumage of these charming birds—a point which has engaged the attention of many
naturalists and physiologists, but of which I believe no very satisfactory solution has yet been attained.

“A few days since,” say : ee a ges : :
ays since,” says Mr. Martin, ‘“‘ we were examining a Humming-Bird, the gorget of which was
an intense emerald-green ; but on changing the light (that is, alterin

ig its angle of incidence), the emerald
was changed into velvet-black.

Audebert considered this changeableness to be due to the organization of

t , c ann > sei , i

this, we think, there can be little doubt ; for each feather,

7

aes when minutely inspected, exhibits myriads of
ittle

acets so disposed as tO present so many angles to t

reflected according to the positi ;
g to the position of the feather : Sas ta . :
g I e feather, and in some positions not reflected in any sensible degree,

and thus emerald may become a velvet-black

he incidence of hight, which will be diversely

 

      
  
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
  
    
 
 
  
   
    
    
  
    
  
   

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