CAS

/L

. U

THE

NATUEALIST'S LIBEAEY.

EDITED BY

SIR WILLIAM JARDINE, BART.,

F.B.S.E.j F.L.S., ETC. ETC.

VOL. VII.

ORNITHOLOGY.
HUMMING BIRDS. — PART II.

BY THE EDITOR.

HENRY G. BOHN, YORK ST., COVENT GARDEN.

BIOL
LIBRARY

CONTENTS

OF

VOLUME SECOND.

PAGE

MEMOIR OF PENNANT, ...... I

Natural History of Humming-Birds, . . . 67

Blue-bellied Saw-billed Humming Bird.

TrochiUus fhalassinus. Plates I. and II. . . 73
Gigantic Humming- Bird.

Trochilus gigas. Plate III. .... 76

Purple Humming Bird.

Trochilus caligena. Plate IV 79

Stokes's Humming-Bird.

TrocMius Stokesii. Plate V 81

Loddiges's Humming-Bird.

TrochiUus Lodigessii. Plate VI. . . . 83

Delalande's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus DeMandii. Female. Plate VII. . 85

Even-tailed Amethystine Humming-Bird.

Trochilus orthura. Plate VIII. ... 86

Little Amethystine Humming-Bird.

Trochilus amethystoides, . . . . . 88
Amethystine Humming-Bird.

Trochilus amethystinus. Plate IX. ... 90
Ruby-throated Humming-Bird.

Trochilus rubineus, 91

Wedge-tailed Amethystine Humming-Bird.

Trochilus montana, .... 93

CONTENTS.

PA9X

Langsdorff 's Humming- Bird.

Trochilus Langsdorffii. Plate X. . . 95

Ruff-necked or Nootka Humming-Bird.

Trodiilus rufus. Plate XI. . 97

Gould's Humming-Bird.

Trodiilus Gouldii. Plate XII. . .101

Tri-coloured Humming-Bird.

Trochilus tricolor. Plate XIII 103

Blue- throated Humming-Bird.

Trochilus lucifer. Plate XIV 105

Violet-tufted Humming-Bird.

Trodiilus petasophorus. Female. Plate XV. . 107
Wagler's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Waglerii. Plate XVI. ... 109
Sapphire and Emerald Humming-Bird.

Trochilus bicolor, . . . . . .110

The Ourissia.

Trochilus Maugerii, Ill

Blue-fronted Humming-Bird.

Trcohilus glaucopis, . . . . . .112

Audebert's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus caruleus, 113

Swainson's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Swainsonii, 114

Crimson-rumped Humming-Bird.

Trochilus erythronottts, . . . . .115

Neuwied's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus cyanogenys, . . . . i 15

The Atala.

Trochilus Atala, 1/6

White-striped Humming-Bird.

Trochilus mesoleucus. Plate XVII. . . . JJV
Scaly-throated Humming- Jbira.

Trochilus scjuamosuS) . . . . . .118

CONTENTS.

pi. IK
White-throated Humming-Bird.

Trochilus albicollis, \\Q

Superb Humming-Bird.

Trochilus superbus, 12C

Duke of Rivoli's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Rivolii. Plate XVIII. . . .122

Buffon's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Buffonii. Plate XIX. . . .124

Mango Humming-Bird.

Trochilus mango. Plate XX. . . . .126
Green Humming-Bird.

Trochilus viridis, 128

Green Black-bellied Humming-Bird.

Trochilus holosericeus, 129

White-tailed Humming- Bird.

Trochilus leucurcus^ . . . . . .130

Aurulent Humming-Bird.

Trochilus aurulentus^ 131

Brown-crowned Humming-Bird.

Trochilus hypophceus, 133

Black-capped Humming-Bird.

Trochilus polytmus. Plate XXI. . . .134

Rough-legged Racket-tailed Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Underwoodii. Plate XXII. . . 136

Racket-tailed Humming-Bird.

Trochilus platurus, . ... . . .137

Bar-tailed Humming-Bird.

Trochilus sparganurus. Plate XXIII. . . 138

Nuna Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Nuna, . . . 140

Topaz-throated Humming-Bird.

Trochilus pella. Male. Plate XXIV. . . Ul
Topez-throated Humming-Bird.

Trochilus pella. Variety. Plate XXV. . .144

CONTENTS.

The Supercilious Humming-Bird.

Trochilus superciliosus. Plates XXVI. and XXVII. 14A
Scally-backed Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Eurynomus. Plate XXVIII. . . 147
Guy's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Guy, 148

Intermediate Humming-Bird.

Trochilus intermedius^ . . . . .149

Bourcier's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Bourderii, . . . . . 1 50

Brown Brazilian Humming-Bird.

Trochilus squalidus, 151

Longuemare's Humming-Bird.

Troehttus Longuemareus, 152

Red-Bellied Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Rufyaster, 153

David's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Davidianus, 153

Hairy-legged Humming- Bird.

Trochilus hirsutus. Plate XXIX. ... 155
Mazeppa Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Mazeppa, 156

Swainson's Humming-Bird.

Trochilus Swainsonii. Plate XXX. . . .158

SYNOPSIS, 161

I Sub-Fam. TROCHILUS, . . . .162

II. — Sub-Fam. CYNANTHUS, . . . .169

III Sub-Fam. PILETHORNIS, . . . .176

IV. — Sub-Fam. CAMPYLOPTERUS, . . .179

V Sub-Fam. LAMPORNIS, . . . .180

MEMOIK OF PENNANT.

MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

THE remote ancestry of Pennant were of very
ancient Welsh descent, one branch tracing their line
from Tudor Trevor and the Great Madoc, while an-
other, according to the English heralds, descended
from Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, The
name was not, however, assumed till a much later
period, the first who received it being DAVID PEN-
NANT AP TUDOR, a fifteenth descendant. The de-
signation is truly Welsh, derived from PEN, a head,
and NANT, a dingle, in which situation the ancient
family mansion is situated.

It is not necessary here to enter minutely into the
ancient history of this family. The immediate ances-
tors, respectable though perhaps not very rich, were
a lower branch of the Family of Hugh Pennant of
Bychton, whose youngest son married the heiress of
the property he farmed, and thus became possessed of
the lands and mansion of Downing or Eden Owain,
which were afterwards bequeathed to the father of our
naturalist, and became his birth-place, estate, and re-
sidence. Some others of his forefathers rose to consi-

NOL. VII. A

4 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

of the various natural productions of his country,
which were thus often presented before him.

Having thus slightly sketched the ancestry and
ahode of this great Welsh naturalist, we shall endea-
vour to trace his career in life, and particularly as it
is connected with the many and voluminous works
which he finished, and which, to the present time,
hear a high rank in their particular department of
the literature of our country.

THOMAS PENNANT was bora at Downing on the
14th June 1726; and, as he himself tells us, to pre-
vent all disputes regarding that event, " in the room
called the Yellow Room ; that the celebrated Mrs
Clayton of Shrewsbury ushered me into the world,
and delivered me to Miss Jenny Parry of Merton,
who, to her dying day, never failed telling me, ' Ah,
you rogue ! I remember you when you had not a
shirt on your back *."'

In those days, it was customary for the children
of the higher ranks to be nursed from home, and
there was generally considerable competition in the
selection of a nurse. The offspring of persons hold-
ing a station in society, as the foster-brother or
sister, was generally looked upon as a dependant of
the family, who, in their turn, thought it incumbent
upon them to do what lay in their power for their
support and prosperity in after life. Accordingly,

• Hist, of Whiteford and Holy well, p. '2.

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. O

our young naturalist was sent to a neighbouring
farm-house, and a nurse, whose maiden name had
been Pennant, was selected; who, with her husband,
were proud of the honour, and laid aside their own
name to adopt that of their charge.

We are not in possession of many incidents in
the early life of Pennant, or indeed with any part of
it unconnected with his literary labours. The life
of a person devoted to the acquirement of know-
ledge does not leave place for romantic incident ;
and where the works have been very voluminous, a
review of their contents is almost the best history of
the ideas and feelings of their author. Before the
death of his father, he resided principally at Bych-
ton, but was at this time possessed of little income
to follow what had been his favourite and earliest
pursuit. He tells us, " that a present of the Orni-
thology of Francis Willoughby, made to me when I
was about twelve years of age, by my kinsman the
late John Salisbury, Esq. first gave me a taste for that
study, and incidentally a love for that of natural his-
tory in general, which I have since pursued with my
constitutional ardour."

At a very early period of his life he seems to have
enjoyed excursions, or, as he termed them, " Tours!'
to the different places of consequence in the vicinity
of his residence. His first was from Oxford to
Cornwall, when about the age of twenty, which
shewed him the valuable mining districts of that
country, and turned his attention to the study of

6 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

geology and mineralogy. A few years after, lie
took a more extensive range to Ireland ; but here
("such was the conviviality of the country") his
journal was never fit to he offered to the public.
His literary works, at this time, were confined to
papers written occasionally for the learned societies ;
the first of which, on account of an earthquake felt
at Downing, was published without his knowledge.
Several others appear at times in the Philosophical
Transactions, on geological subjects, and the descrip-
tion of fossil remains. It was for one of these that
he was elected a member of the Royal Society of
Upsal, upon the recommendation of Linnaeus. This
he ever considered a very high compliment. " In
February 1757, I received the first and greatest of
my literary honours. I value myself the more on
its being conferred on me at the instance of Linna3us
himself. He spoke of my works in terms too fa-
vourable for me to repeat."

The study required for the composition of these
papers, and an extensive correspondence with men
who were ardent admirers of his own pursuits, sug-
gested the publication of some larger work. His
attention was turned to the writings of his predeces-
sors upon the productions of his own country, and
he imagined that some of its rarities yet remained
to be described. He also saw that other nations
were busily employed in studying whatever could be
turned to use in their domestic economy; and in
reference to the works which these thoughts imme-

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 7

diately suggested, he thus expresses himself: " At
a time when the study of natural history seems to
revive in Europe, and the pens of several illustrious
foreigners have heen employed in enumerating the
productions of their respective countries, we are un-
willing that our own island should remain insensible
' to its particular advantages. We are desirous of di-
verting the astonishment of our countrymen at the
gifts of nature bestowed on other kingdoms, to a
contemplation of those with which (at least with
equal bounty) she has enriched our own. Why,
then, should we neglect inquiring into the various
benefits that result from the wisdom of our Creator,
which his divine munificence has so liberally and so
immediately placed before us?" In 1761, his first
work, the British Zoology, was commenced, and up-
on a large scale. When completed, it contained
132 folio plates. This afterwards went through
many smaller editions ; and supplemental volumes
were at times added. It appears that the later edi-
tions yielded some return, perhaps considerable for
the period ; and although loss was sustained, from
the expensive form of publication first employed, the
after profits were always applied to some charitable
institution. He tells us at one part of his literary
life, " Mr Benjamin White paid me £100 for per-
mission to publish an octavo edition, which I imme-
diately vested in the Welsh Charity School." Latin
and German editions, with the plates, were also pub-
lished abroad.

8 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

The best and most complete copies of this work
are the quarto editions published in 1776 and 1777,
in four volumes, the last containing the Crustacese
and Shells. The plates are chiefly executed by
Mazell, and some from drawings by Edwards. They
are in many instances characteristic, and the work-
manship bold. The best are some of the Water-
fowl, and the plates of the last volume. The letter-
press is clear, and not lengthened, written in great
part from personal observation, and oftentimes with
a view to a contrast with the writings of his con-
tinental rival Buffon. These naturalists, as we shall
presently see, were acquainted with each other, and,
although on friendly terms, several little jealousies
arose, which can be traced in their respective writ-
ings. The following extract from the natural his-
tory of the Mole, is evidently aimed at the scepti-
cism of Buffon, and will serve as a specimen of the
descriptive style of this work : —

" There are many animals in which the Divine
Wisdom may be more agreeably illustrated ; yet the
uniformity of its attention to every article of the
creation, even the most contemptible, by adapting
the parts to its distinct course of life, appears more
evident in the mole than in any other animal.

" A subterraneous abode being allotted to it, the
seeming defects of several of its parts vanish ; which,
instead of appearing maimed, or unfinished, exhibit
a most striking proof of the fitness of their contri-

MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

" The breadth, strength, and shortness of the
fore-feet, which are inclined sideways, answer the
use as well as the form of hands, to scoop out the
earth to form its habitation, or to pursue its prey.
Had they been longer, the falling in of the earth
would have prevented quick repetition of its strokes
in working, or have impeded its course. The ob-
lique position of the fore-feet has also this advantage,
that it flings all the loose soil behind the animal.

" The form of the body is not less admirably
contrived for its way of life : the fore part is thick,
and very muscular, giving great strength to the ac-
tion of the fore-feet, enabling it to dig its way with
amazing force and rapidity, either to pursue its prey
or elude the search of the most active enemy.
The form of its hind parts, which are small, and ta-
per, enables it to pass with great facility through the
earth that the fore-feet had flung behind ; for, had
each part of the body been of equal thickness, its
flight would have been impeded, and its security
precarious.

" The smallness of the eyes (which gave occasion
to the ancients to deny it the sense of sight) is to this
animal a peculiar happiness ; a small degree of vi-
sion is sufficient for an animal ever destined to live
under ground. Had these organs been larger, they
would have been perpetually liable to injuries, by
the earth falling into them ; but Nature, to prevent
that inconvenience, hath not only made them very
small, but also covered them very closely with fur

10 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

Anatomists mention (besides these) a third very won-
derful contrivance for their security, and inform us,
th it each eye is furnished with a certain muscle, by
which the animal has the power of withdrawing or
exserting them, according to its exigencies.

" To make amends for the dimness of its sight,
the mole is amply recompensed by the great perfec-
tion of two other senses, those of hearing and smell-
ing. The first gives it notice of the most distant ap-
proach of danger : the other, which is equally ex-
quisite, directs it in the midst of darkness to its food
The nose, also, being very long and slender, is well
formed for thrusting into small holes, in search of the
worms and insects that inhabit them. These gifts
may, with reason, be said to compensate the defects
of sight, as they supply, in this animal, all its wants,
a-id all the purposes of that sense."

An appendix is also added, containing much in-
formation from the older writers, with notices of ad-
ditional British species, which are to this day rare.
There is also a paper upon the migration of birds,
wherein he strongly recommends the study of natu-
ral history to the clergy, as a relaxation to beguile
the time not occupied with more arduous and im-
portant studies.

During the progress of this work, Pennant made
a tour to the continent, where he met with many of
the most noted foreign naturalists, and commenced
an acquaintance and correspondence which was of
much use to him. He visited the Count de Buffon

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 11

by invitation at Montbard ; and his description of
tbe seat and manners of this naturalist agree with
what we have said in the memoir attached to the
last volume. He says, the Count " was satisfied
with my proficiency in natural history, and publicly
acknowledged his favourable sentiments of my stu-
dies." A correspondence was afterwards maintain-
ed, and they were of mutual use to each other,
though Pennant in his writings occasionally accuses
the Count for not acknowledging the information he
gave.

He travelled by Lyons to Switzerland, and at
Berne became acquainted with the Baron Haller.
He next visited some parts of Germany, and sailed
down the Rhine to Holland. Here he met with
Dr Pallas, and to this meeting may be ascribed
the commencement of his History of Quadrupeds.
Speaking of their meeting, he says, " from conge-
niality of disposition we soon became strongly at-
tached. Our conversation rolled chiefly on natural
history; and as we were both enthusiastic admirers
of our great Ray, I proposed his undertaking a His-
tory of Quadrupeds on the system of our illustrious
countryman, a little reformed. He assented to my
plan, and wrote me a long letter, in which he sent
an outline of his design, and his resolution to pur-
sue it with all the expedition consistent with his
other engagements." This, Pallas was prevented
from performing, being sent at the head of an expedi-
tion to the northern parts of the Russian dominions,

12 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

and it " was fated," Pennant says, " to be accom-
plished by an inferior genius." We shall notice
this work again in its order of publication.

Upon his return to England, a third volume was
added to British Zoology containing Fishes; and va-
rious additions and improvements were made on the
others. He let slip no opportunity of acquiring
additional knowledge upon the various subjects he
so ardently pursued ; his mind, he remarks, " was
always in a progressive state, it could never stagnate :
it carried me farther than the limits of our island,
and made me desirous of forming a zoology of some
distant country." This was the commencement of
his Indian Zoology, but which was given up very
soon after its commencement. Fifteen plates only
were engraved in small folio, and the expense was
partly defrayed by Sir Joseph Banks, to whom our
author had been some time previously introduced,
and who never failed to encourage, by his counsel
or purse, any work which tended to advance the
arts or sciences. The copperplates were given to
Reinhold Forster, who carried them abroad, and
published them with a German translation of the
letter-press.

Pennant now meditated a longer excursion. Scot-
land was at this time unexplored by any naturalist,
and a journey to the northern parts was looked upon
as a comparatively dangerous undertaking. It was
accordingly selected as likely to afford a good field of
observation, and he commenced his first tour on

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 13

the 26th of June 1769. The account of this tour
was not published till the year following. He set
out from Chester, and kept a regular journal of every
incident from that place till his return, taking sketches
of all that struck him as remarkable in the scenery,
buildings, and antiquities. He travelled what is
called the east road, and entered Scotland from Ber-
wick-upon-Tweed. By the way, he visited the
Fern Islands, lying off the Northumbrian coast, a
favourite resort, during the breeding-season, of many
species of sea-fowl ; and it is interesting now to
compare his account with a notice of the birds more
recently inhabiting these islands, published a few years
ago by the British ornithologist of our own times.
In the former, the Little Auk and Black Guille-
mot are both mentioned as occurring : while now,
the first does not find a place at all among the North-
umbrian birds, and the second is only met with oc-
casionally. He proceeded onwards by Edinburgh, and
made nearly the circuit of the mainland of Scotland,
travelling along the east coast by Perth, Aberdeen,
Inverness, &c. and returning by Fort- William, Loch
Awe, Inverary, and Glasgow, again entered Eng-
land by Carlisle. The Tour is written with much
clearness, as well as candour. A prejudice against
Scotland, regarding its great inferiority of climate,
and almost barbarous condition of the northern in-
habitants, existed, and to a certain extent influenced
the views of the tourist ; but a mind apparently at
ease and contented with itself, and alive to the beau-

14 MEMOIR 0? PENNANT.

ties of nature, whether in the highest state of culti-
vation by art, or in all its rugged wildness, enjoyed
the scenery of the Highlands, and made allowances
for those wants which had been left in the richer
plains of merry England.

Many parts struck his imagination, and left a vi-
vid impression on his memory. The route from
Taymouth to Killin, Inverary, and along the banks
of Loch Lomond to Glasgow, he says is a tract
unparalleled for the variety and frequency of fine
and magnificent scenery. When leaving Inver-
ness, he thus describes the banks of Loch Ness :
" I enjoyed along its banks a most romantic and
beautiful scenery, generally in woods of birch or
hazel, mixed with a few holly, white thorn, aspen,
ash, and oak, but open enough in all parts to ad-
mit a sight of the water. Sometimes the road
was straight for a considerable distance, and resem-
bled a fine and regular avenue — in others it wound
about the sides of the hills which overhung the lake
— the road was frequently cut through the rock,
which on one side formed a solid wall, on the other
a steep precipice. In many parts we were immersed
in woods — in others, they opened, and gave a view of
the sides and tops ot the vast mountains soaring above.
Some of these were naked ; but in general covered
with wood, except on the mere precipices, or where
the grey rocks denied vegetation, or where the heath,
now glowing with purple blossoms, covered the sur-
face. The form of the hills was very various and

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 15

irregular, either broken into frequent precipices, or
towering into rounded summits, clothed with trees,
not so close but to admit a sight of the sky between
them. The wild animals which possessed this wild
scene were stags and roes, black game, and grouse :
on the summits white hares and ptarmigans." He
seems equally struck with the scenery round Inver-
cauld. " The views from the skirts of the plain
near Invercauld, are very great. The hills that im-
mediately bound it are clothed with trees, particu-
larly with birch, whose long and pendent boughs,
waving a vast height above the head, surpass the
beauties of the weeping willow. The southern ex-
tremity is pre-eminently magnificent : the mountains
form a vast theatre, the bosom of which is covered
with extensive forests of pines — above, the trees
grow scarcer and scarcer, and then seem only to
sprinkle the surface — after which, vegetation ceases,
and naked summits of surprising height succeed,
many of them topped with perpetual snow; — arid,
as a fine contrast to the scene, the great cataract of
Garvalbourn, which seems at a distance to divide
the whole, foams, amidst the dark forest, rushing
from rock to rock to a vast distance." Thus could
he seize the characters of the scenes he visited, the
sudden effects of light and shade on the mountain
lochs, with their rugged precipices and tangled thic-
kets, or the dark and deep, yet rich tints of a bound-
less waste, in storms of wind and rain.

This Tour is also illustrated with views of the

MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

scenery, in many instances very correct. They are
drawn and engraved mostly by his draftsman Moses
Griffith, who accompanied him on the greater num-
ber of his excursions, and possessed considerable ta-
lents. It is curious now to compare these with the
same places, after the lapse of nearly a century.
Some of the seats at that time newly formed, with-
out shelter, surrounded with bare hills, or with plan-
tations yet in their infancy, are now embowered in a
gorgeous shade of venerable oak and chestnut, and
often adorned with the more tender shrubbery of the
modern times, which has usurped the place of the
birch and mountain ash.

The antiquities — the most valuable paintings in
the seats of- the chiefs or nobles — the manners of
the people, and their superstitions, were all noted
down; — and the commerce of the country, with
the possiblity of its improvement, seems to have
neen anxiously inquired into.

The salmon and other fisheries are generally no-
ticed in passing ; and the rents, with the number
of fish caught yearly in some of the most important
of the former, are mentioned, which shew a depre-
ciation when compared with the results of the present
revenues. He mentions Char as abundant in most
of the Highland lochs, but only upon the authority
of the. inhabitants. This is a difficult fish to procure
in the summer without nets ; and I have been often
told of their abundance, without being able to see
specimens. It will be interesting hereafter to as-

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 17

i

certain the species ; for, in a late excursion made
by Dr Graham, accompanied by his pupils, and a
party of scientific friends, they were mentioned as
above two feet in length. Trout, he says, have also
been taken in the Highlands above 30 lb., which
would prove at that period the knowledge of this
large species, though the distinctions were not as-
certained. He is wrong, however, in supposing the
Phinnochs to be the young of the Great Trout,
which he does at one or two places on the autho-
rity of the fishermen. He met with this fish in
abundance in several places. " They come in Au-
gust, and disappear in November. They are about
a foot long, their colour grey, spotted with black,
their flesh red : they rise eagerly to a fly. Fifteen
hundred are sometimes taken at a draught." This
is their character correctly, and in few words. They
are one of the most graceful of the Salmonidte, and
are at once known by the peculiar greyish-green of
their back contrasting strongly with the black spots.
They continue still very abundant in the rivers in
the north of Scotland, rising eagerly, and affording
much sport to the angler with light tackle. To-
wards the south, they appear to decrease, but are
perhaps to be found in most Scottish waters, though
the rivers running into the Solway may boast of the
greatest share.

In like manner were the animals and birds sought
after. The alpine hare was found, and esteemed a
novelty, and he remarks that " it is full of frolic

VOL. VII. B

18 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

•

when kept tame, is fond of eating honey and cara-
way comfits, and prognosticates a storm hy eating
its own dung.*' One of the most important of the
feather tribe which he mentions, is the Caper-
caillie, then found in the pine forest of Glenmori-
ston and Strathglass, which may be looked upon as
the latest indications of the remains of this splen-
did bird. I believe he also continues the only au-
thority for the introduction of the Pine Grossbeak
(Pyrrhula enucleator) to the ornithology of Scot-
land : he saw them in August flying in the forests
about Invercauld.

He finished this tour by Inverary, Glasgow, and
Edinburgh. Taking from thence the bleak road to
Moffat, he visited Dr Walker, and entering Eng-
land again by Gretna and Carlisle, arrived at his
home in safety, after an absence of nearly three
months.

The pleasure he enjoyed during this tour, and the
information he received, so necessary to the next
editions of his British Zoology, induced him to un-
dertake another, and to extend his researches farther,
into what he had found an interesting country, and
to judge of it for himself — or, as he somewhere
quotes,

" Yet still by Nature, not by censure try."

Pie commenced his second journey in the summer
of 1772, "in order," he says " to render more com-
plete my preceding tour, and to allay that species of

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 19

restlessness that infects many minds, on leaving any
attempt unfinished." This time he had two gentle-
men for companions, who were ardent admirers of
Nature, and afterwards became known to the literary
world, the Rev. J. Lightfoot and the Rev. J. Stew-
art of Killin — the one an acute botanist, and the
other intimately acquainted with the customs and lan-
guage of his country.

As before, he set out from Chester, visited the
English lakes, reached Carlisle, and after spending a
considerable time at Netherby,* entered Scotland,
and skirted the Esk to Langholm.

He seems to have been very much struck with the
beauty of the scenery along the banks of the Esk.
" The scenery," says he, " is great and enchanting :
on one side is a view of the river Esk, far beneath,
running through a rocky channel, and bounded by
immense precipices, in various places, suddenly
deepening to a vast profundity ; while in other parts
it glides over a bottom covered with mosses, or co-
loured stones, that reflect through the pure water
tints glaucous, green, or sapphirine. These various
views are in most places fully open to sight ; in
others suffer a partial interruption from the trees
that clothe the steep banks, and shoot out from the
brinks and fissures of the precipices. The ride was
extremely diversified through thick woods, or small
thickets, with sudden transitions from shade into rich

• The Seat of Sir James Graham, First Lord of the Ad-
miralty.

20 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

and well husbanded fields, bounded on every side
with woods, with views of other woods still rising
beyond. No wonder the inhabitants yet believe the
Fairies revel in these delightful scenes."

From this place he again returned south, and af-
ter some delay recrossed the border at Gretna, and
proceeded to Dumfries, which seems to have been
the intended point of commencement for his northern
journey. He visited the principal beauties and ruins
in the district, and proceeded on his way up the
Nith, by Lanarkshire, to Glasgow. When describing
the Solway Firth, he mentions the hunting of salmon,
and although this method of taking these active fish
was almost extinct, his work is a record of its being
still practised in 1772, or about sixty years since.
There was only one person on the coast who was
expert enough to practise the diversion.

The appearance and bursting of the Solway Moss
is also described ; he had seen it and the surrounding
country in his former tour. Speaking of the latter, he
says, " it has been finely reclaimed from its original
state, prettily divided, well planted with hedges, and
well peopled ; the ground, originally not worth six-
pence an acre, was improved to the value of thirty
shillings. At this time it was a melancholy extent
of black turbery, the eruption of the moss having in
a few days covered grass and corn ; levelled the
boundaries of almost every farm ; destroyed most of
the houses, and driven the poor inhabitants to the
utmost distress." An authentic account of this ca-

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 21

tastrophe, important also as an evidence of how little
may effect a sudden change on the aspect of a coun-
try, must be interesting. The highest parts of the
original moss subsided to the depth of about twenty-
five feet, and the height of the moss upon the invaded
hollows was at least fifteen feet. Netherby received
a view of land and trees unseen before.

" Solway moss consists of sixteen hundred acres:
lies some height above the cultivated tract, and seems
to have been nothing but a collection of thin peaty
mud : the surface itself was always so near the state
of a quagmire, that in most places it was unsafe for
any thing heavier than a sportsman to venture on,
even in the driest summer.

" The shell or crust that kept this liquid within
bounds, nearest to the valley, was at first of sufficient
strength to contain it ; but, by the imprudence of the
peat diggers, who were continually working on that
side, at length became so weakened, as not longer to
he able to resist the weight pressing on it. To this
may be added, the fluidity of the moss was greatly
increased by three days' rain of unusual violence,
which preceded the eruption ; and extended itself in
a line as far as Newcastle, took in a part of Durham,
and a small portion of Yorkshire, running in a par-
allel line of about equal breadth, both sides of which,
north and south, experienced an uncommon drought.
It is singular that the fall of Newcastle Bridge and
this accident happened within a night of each other.

" Late in the nidit of the 17th of November of the

22 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

last year, a farmer, who lived nearest the moss, was
alarmed with an unusual noise. The crust had at
once given way, and the black deluge was rolling to-
wards his house. When he was gone out with a
lantern to see the cause of his fright, he saw the
stream approach him ; and first thought that it was
the dunghill, that, by some supernatural cause, had
been set in motion ; but soon discovering the danger,
he gave notice to his neighbours with all expedition ;
but others received no other advice but what this
Stygian tide gave them ; some by its noise, many by
its entrance into their houses, and I have been as-
sured that some were surprized with it even in their
beds ; these past a horrible night, remaining totally
ignorant of their fate, and the cause of the calamity,
till the morning, when their neighbours with diffi-
culty got them out through the roof. About 300
acres of moss were thus discharged, and above 400
of land covered ; the houses either overthrown or
filled to the roofs ; and the hedges overwhelmed ;
but, providentially, not a human life lost. Several
cattle were suffocated, and tho& which were housed
had a very small chance of escaping. The case of a
cow is so singular as to deserve mention. She was
the only one of eight, in the same cow-house, that
was saved, after having stood sixty hours up to the
neck in mud and water. When she was relieved,
she did not refuse to eat, but would not taste water,
nor could even look at it without shewing manifest
signs of horror.

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 2-3

" The eruption burst from the place of its discharge
like a cataract of thick ink, and continued in a stream
of the same appearance, intermixed with great frag-
ments of peat, with their heathy surface; then flowed
like a tide charged with pieces of wreck, filling the
whole valley, running up every little opening, and,
on its retreat, leaving upon the shores tremendous
heaps of turf, memorials of the height this dark tor-
rent arrived at. The farther it flowed, the more
room it had to expand, lessening in depth, till it
mixed its stream with that of the Esk."

Arrives again at Glasgow, and having spent some
days in visiting the places of note on the Clyde, sets
sail for Greenock in a little cutter of ninety tons, to
explore the Western Isles of Scotland. He first
landed on Bute and Arran ; on the latter he re-
mained for some time, and devoted a considerable
space to the description of its rocky coast, produce,
and natural history. On the mountains here he met
with what he terms a gigantic frog, and notices it as
distinct from the common species of the Lowlands.
This frog, common on most of the alpine districts of
Scotland, has been often noticed ; but I am not sure
that species from these localities have been properly
examined, and consider it probable that it may yet
constitute a third species to the fauna of Scotland.

From this he was anxious to visit the Crag of
Ailsa, where he was much struck with its preci-
pices, and birds, numerous as swarms of bees. He
enumerates what he saw, which are not beyond the

24 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

common species. "The thrushes," he observes, "ex-
erted the same melody in this scene of horror, as they
do in the groves of Hertfordshire." It may be ob-
served, that these birds do not dislike an abode by the
shore, wherever a little brush will shelter them, and
the " grove of elder trees," beneath the ruins, would
afford ample covering for their nests, the only time
it would be needed, as, with an advance of season,
they would commence their migration to a more hos-
pitable shore. The common black snail, Arion ater,
and striped-shell snail, were seen " very unexpected-
ly ;" but they are both occasionally met with in most
of the little islands where there is much rough cover-
ing, besides several other land shells.

From Ailsa Crag the party skirted the Mull of
Cantyre, visited Gigha, and attempted to reach the
isle of Isla. They were prevented from doing this by
a calm ; and, during its annoying continuance, with
his characteristic industry, Pennant engaged himself
in compiling an ancient history of the Hebrides. It
was not till during night, that the breeze sprung up,
they were enabled to enter one of the small harbours
in Jura. Here the tourists experienced the attention
of the principal proprietor, Mr Campbell, who sent
them horses to ride over and explore the island.
This they proceeded to do on the day following, and
ascended the highest of the Paps. This mountain is
compared to a huge cairn, of very difficult ascent; but
the labour is amply recompensed by " the grandeur
of the prospect from this sublime spot." " Jura

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 25

itself afforded a stupendous scene of rock, varied
with little lakes innumerable." From the general
appearance of the island, and from the dykes which
in different places run towards the sea, Pennant
argues a volcanic origin, or at least a considerable
change by the influence of fire. One of the princi-
pal dykes is on the west side of the hill. It runs in
a narrow stripe of rock, terminating in the sea, and
is generally called the " Slide of the Old Hag."
After surveying this interesting island, they cross
the Sound to Hay, and are as hospitably received by
Mr Freebairn, the superintendent of the mines ; and
having visited the works of lead and iron, set out
upon an excursion on horseback, accompanied by seve-
ral gentlemen of the island, who had offered their ser-
vice to conduct them to whatever was worthy of being
seen. The former tour was written with so much
candour and good feeling, that the proprietors were
always anxious to point out the improvements which
had been made, and the capabilities which their own
favourite land possessed for cultivation ; and in his
whole excursion, he met with that civility, attention,
and assistance, which one travelling for information
and the good or improvement of his country deserves.
He enters at considerable length into the manners
of the inhabitants, their ancient customs, and pre-
sent superstitions. In its natural history, he men-
tions wild geese breeding on the moors ; a more
southern range of incubation for these birds than
what has been generally supposed.

26 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

From Hay sails to Oronsay, which is explored, its
ancient monastery and cross are described and illus-
trated by engravings ; and red -billed choughs are met
with in its cliffs. Colonsay, lona and Cannay are
in like manner visited, and an expedition is planned
for Staffa. In this he is, however, disappointed ;
and from the boisterous state of the weather, is ob-
liged to remain contented with a distant view from
the vessel of this singular rock. But in the pub-
lished tour there is a very good account of every
part of the island by Sir Joseph Banks, who was
more fortunate in his attempt to land here on his
voyage to Iceland. It is illustrated by five charac-
teristic views. The island of Mull and Skye next
engross the attention of our tourists ; and from the
latter they land on the mainland in Ross-shire, wish-
ing to proceed over land to the northern extremity
of Scotland. The attempt is made, but the party
are obliged to return " the same road, through a va-
riety of bog and hazardous rock, that nothing but
our shoeless little steeds could have carried us over: —

A wondrous token
Of heaven's kind care, with necks unbroken."

Such was the state of the roads sixty years since, in
a country which, though, to the water's edge, bear-
ing almost an Arctic or Lapland stamp, is now tra-
versed by highways, over which in summer at least
the frailest vehicle would safely travel. For these
and other valuable improvements, the country is in-

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 27

debted to the praiseworthy exertions of the lately
deceased Duke of Sutherland.

From hence, Skye is again visited ; Mull, Lismore,
many of the smaller rocks and Scarba, each having
as much attention devoted to it as its appearance and
productions seemed to require. From the last, Pen-
nant finally landed at Ardmaddie, the residence of
Captain Campbell, who had taken charge of his
horses; and having dismissed the Captain of his little
vessel, and taken leave of his companions, he con-
cluded his voyage among the Hebrides, highly pleased
with the excursion, and grateful for the kind treat-
ment and anxiety to promote his wishes, which was
every where manifested.

The latter part of this tour is performed with more
expedition, yet employing sufficient time to see the
most of what was worthy of notice. The route was
by Inverary, Dunkeld, Perth, Montrose*, Forfar, St
Andrew's ; thence skirting the Frith of Forth to Stir-
ling, and, crossing its bridge, he arrived again in Edin-
burgh by the opposite shore. From Edinburgh, the
road is varied from that pursued during the first tour ;
and Roxburghshire and the banks of the Tweed are
followed, and the English border recrossed at the
small burn opposite the village of Birgham, whence,
from his anxiety to reach Downing after so long an

* Remarkable for the number of lobsters taken on the
coast near the village of Usan, from whence 60,000 or 70,000
are sent annually to London, and sold at the rate of 2£d.
a- piece, provided they are five inches round the body ; if
less, two are allowed for one.

28 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

absence, he speedily accomplishes the remainder of
his journey *.

Thus was concluded Pennant's second journey to
Scotland ; and we may perhaps be accused of hav-
ing devoted more space to the examination of these
Tours than the limits of this Memoir could allow ;
but, after the British Zoology, we consider them the
most important of his works, and of great interest to
a modern tourist who will travel the same route, and
compare the remarks relating to almost every part of
the economy and natural history of the various dis-
tricts, with the state of the country at the present
time ; while their reputation abroad is sufficiently
attested by German and French translations appear-
ing in these respective countries.

The best editions of this work are those in 4to,
published by Benjamin White in 1790, in three vo-
lumes, of which two are devoted to the second Tour.
They are illustrated by 134- plates, in general well
and boldly executed.

The last volume of his second Tour did not appear
till nearly three years after his return, and, during
that period, though much of his leisure was occupied
in preparing for publication the various memoranda
which he had so assiduously collected, and in su-
perintending the new editions of his former journey,
he found time to make several excursions of less <;x-

* During this tour, a great part of the materials for Dr
Lightfoot's Flora Scotica were collected, in the publication
of which Mr Pennant was of much service.

4^

v N

MEMOIR OF PENNANT! 0 29

X^UF

tent, and to assist bis friends with his advice and ex-
perience. He visited the Isle of Man, Northamp-
tonshire, and made the first notes of his tour from
Chester to London. The most important incident
which occurred during the latter, took place at Buck-
ingham, where he narrowly escaped a death suited
to an antiquary. "I visited the old church at eight
o'clock in the morning ; it fell hefore six in the after-
noon, and I escaped being buried in its ruins."

He also made several excursions into North Wales,
which supplied the materials for the first volume of
his tour in that country, published in 1778, and there-
fore the next of his works which we have to examine.
It forms one thick 4to volume, and commences as
usual from Downing, upon the same plan as his
Scotch tours. It, however, contains less of the na-
tural history of the districts, and is mostly occupied
with ancient history and antiquities, and is a valuable
record of the state of the county at the period when
it was written. The most important portions of the
work are, a description of the ancient and curious
city of Chester, which occupies nearly a hundred
pages, and must be interesting to every reader ; and
the history of the career of Owen Glyndwr, who so
long disputed the supremacy of Wales with Henry
IV., one whom Shakspeare tells was not " in the
roll of common men," and at whose nativity —

" The front of heaven was full of fiery shapes,
Of burning cressets ; and at my birth,
The frame and huqre foundation of the earth
Shak'd like a coward."

30 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

This volume leaves great part of Wales unexplored,
particularly the higher and wilder districts, and he
desired to render it more complete by visiting those
parts. An excursion is undertaken to Snowdon and
the alpine range of the country, the results of which
were published, under the title of " A Journey to
Snowdon ;" and a third journey is performed, which,
with the Snowdonia, forms the second volume of the
Tour in Wales, and appeared about 1781. This
is illustrated with many plates, and is written, like
the first, with more attention to the history and an-
tiquities than to the works of nature. There are,
however, occasionally short notices regarding both
the botany and zoology. In the former he was as-
sisted by Lightfoot, to whose inspection, most proba-
bly, his collections on returning would be submitted.
In the zoology there is a notice regarding the beaver,
which shews that that animal was once known to the
Welsh. He mentions that on " the Conway there
is a deep, wide, and still water, called Llyn yr
Afangc, or the Beaver's Pool ; our ancestors also
called them, with great propriety, Llost Lyday, or
broad- tailed animal. Their skin was of such esteem,
as to be valued at an hundred and twenty pence," —
a large sum in those days, and still greater when
compared with the price of the skin of other animals ;
an ermine, otter, wolf, or fox, were only valued at
twelve pence.

In another part of the work he mentions a singular
breeding-place for the heron, both from the situation

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 31

and the dislike of the bird to companions of different
kinds at the season of incubation. It is Llandudno
or St Orm's Head. " The western extremity is a
vast precipice, the haunt of various sea fowl in the
time of breeding. The gulls possess the lower part,
above them the razor-bills and guillemots have their
quarters ; over them croak the cormorants ; and he-
rons occupy the higher regions." There are also many
curious records of the Welsh, which will be read with
much interest. Fifty-three plates illustrate both vo-
lumes, and a supplement often was added to the last,
etched by Moses Griffiths.

It was about this time that the second edition of the
history of Quadrupeds, alluded to at page 1 1, ap-
peared in two volumes quarto. This had been pre-
viously published as a Synopsis, with about thirty
plates. These are now increased to fifty-two, and
it received the additions which a better knowledge
of the subject suggested. The work was originally
intended as a reference to the Natural History and
plates of Buffon, which are troublesome to consult,
from their want of arrangement. In the same man-
ner, he wrote out and published a systematic cata-
logue of the birds, which we regret that he did not
also extend.

In the year following, the Journey from Chester
to London appeared, written, he tells us, " from
journals made at different times in my way to town.
I frequently made a considerable stay at several
places, to give to this boot all the fulness and accu-

32 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

racy in my power." It was published in a quarto size,
illustrated by twenty-three plates.

The next work which Mr Pennant published was
the Arctic Zoology ; and, though necessarily a com-
pilation, it is important as a connected and condensed
view of the progress of discovery, till the period of
its appearance, along the northern coasts of Europe,
Asia, and America, with an account of the inhabi-
tants and productions of these wild, and in most
instances, dreary shores. Since that period, expedi-
tions of discovery have done much to further our
geographical knowledge of these countries ; and the
immense accessions of the new productions, in the
various departments of Nature, will show that mo-
dern zeal has fully equalled the researches of our
ancestors. A comparison of the Northern Faunas
lately published, will prove very interesting, while
the reader will be convinced of the value of the Arctic
Zoology, by the frequent reference to it which occurs
in their pages. The origin and design of this work
will be best made known by a short extract from the
author's Advertisement. " This work was begun a
trreat many years past, when the empire of Great
Britain was entire, and possessed the northern part
of the New World with envied splendour. At that
period I formed a design of collecting materials for a
partial history of its animals ; and, with true pains,
my various correspondents made far greater progress
in my plan than my most sanguine expectations had
framed. Above a century ago, an illustrious prede-

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 33

cessor in the line of Natural History, who as greatly
exceeded me in abilities as he did in zeal, meditated
a voyage to the New World, in pursuance of a si-
milar design. The gentleman alluded to was Francis
Willoughby, Esq., who died in 1672, on the point
of putting his design into execution. Emulous of so
illustrious an example, I took up the object of his
pursuit ; but my many relative duties forbade me
from carrying it to the length conceived by that great
and good man. What he would have performed,
from an actual inspection in the native country of
the several subjects under consideration, I must con-
tent myself to do, in a less perfect manner, from pre-
served specimens transmitted to me ; and offer to
the world their Natural History, taken from gentle-
men or writers who have paid no small attention to
their manners." During the progress of this work
he received assistance from Dr Garden, in America,
Pallas, Thunberg, Sparman, Muller, and Fabricius,
besides many other northern naturalists, more eager
than another to render what assistance they could to
this great undertaking.

The Arctic Zoology is contained in three quarto
volumes, to which a supplement of 163 pages was
afterwards added. The first volume is entirely de-
voted to a sketch of the range of coast and country
which is to be described. He commences at Dover,
and carries his reader along the eastern side of Bri-
tain, to the Orkneys, Shetland; the Faroe isles, and
Iceland. He returns, and sets out again from Calais,

VOL. VII. C

34 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

whence he travels as it were opposite his former
course, entering the Baltic, exploring the shores of
Lapland, Sweden, and Spitzbergen ; from hence all
the northern coasts and islands of Asia are traced,
and the arctic latitudes of North America, as far as
discovery had extended. The different tribes, the
animals and productions, of each country are sum-
marily mentioned, and the account is interspersed
with remarks on their geographical distribution, com-
paring the zoology and vegetation with that of Bri-
tain. The second volume commences the detailed
description of the animals and birds which are found
in the countries he has reviewed in the 6rst; and
the third contains the remaining part of the birds, the
reptiles, and fishes, and concludes with an enumera-
tion of a few insects. The volumes are illustrated by
twenty-six plates, with two maps designed to shew
the countries described.

The only remaining work of any consequence
which this assiduous writer published during what
may be termed the active part of his life, was the
History of London, in one quarto volume. It is
written and illustrated in the style of his other works,
and possesses much local interest. Pennant had
now reached his sixty-seventh year, in the enjoy-
ment of nearly uninterrupted good health. The in-
firmity of years had almost imperceptibly stolen up-
on him, and he acknowledged that " his body may
have abated of its wonted vigour." In his Lite-
rary Biography, when speaking of this part of his Hie,

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 35

he says, " A few years ago, I grew fond of imaginary
tours, and determined on one to climes more suited to
my years, more genial than that of the frozen north.
I still found, or fancied that I found, abilities to di-
rect my pen. I determined on a voyage to India."
We can almost imagine the day-dreams which sug-
gested these narratives, can follow the now aged na-
turalist to the splendid scenes which his extensive
reading would call up in the east, and see him in the
fancied delight of traversing a country so rich in the
stores of both art and nature. But he could not
stop here : he built up a fabric which he meanwhile
knew he never would complete ; and the same well-
stored imagination carried him over most of the
countries in the world. We must agree with his
concluding reflection, " Happy is the age that could
thus beguile its fleeting hours without injury to any
one, and, with the addition of years, continue to rise
in its pursuits."

The work which he now planned at his sixty-
seventh year, was to consist of fourteen quarto vo-
lumes ! It was to be entitled, " Outlines of the
Globe," and was to contain a sketch of every coun-
try in the world, with their productions. Four vo-
lumes only were published ; and two of these ap-
peared after the decease of their author, being super-
intended by his son. The two first are devoted to
India, the one containing what he denominates Wes-
tern Hindostan and the Island of Ceylon ; the se-
cond reviewing the line of the Ganges, or Gangetic

36 • MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

Hindostan. These volumes are gleaned from the
works of his predecessors, and touch on almost every
hranch. They are illustrated by a map and seve-
ral plates. Among those devoted to natural history
are three botanical plates etched by Sowerby ; and
a representation of the Passarage Bustard, Otis au-
rita of Dr Latham, whose sexes, and different
states of plumage, seem only to have been lately
known to the continental ornithologists.

The third and fourth volumes of the same work
contain the history of India beyond the Ganges,
China, and Japan, with the Malayan isles and New
Holland. These their author did not live to see fi-
nished ; but having left the manuscript complete, they
were printed under the care of his son, and appeared
in 1800.

We have now endeavoured to give a brief account
of the voluminous works of Thomas Pennant, which,
short in comparison with the originals, and wanting
much of their interest, will, we fear, have appeared
tedious to many of our readers ; but, to use the
words of a writer to whom we are indebted for many
eloquent memoirs, beautifully detailing the careers of
his predecessors and companions in research, " When
the life of a man is entirely devoted to the sciences,
it cannot be expected that it will present a variety
of incident ; it will be found most truly in the ana-
lysis of his works*." This we have found verified,
* Cuvier.

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 37

while searching for materials to pourtray the charac-
ter of our British naturalist. His career, we have
before said, has been void of all romance, and may
be comprised in exercising his duties as a parent, and
active country gentleman ; while the vacancies will
be filled up by a perusal of the interesting works
which he has left, and of which we have now tried
to give a description.

The disposition of Pennant was one of great ac-
tivity, a quality which was diffused over his bodily
as well as mental powers. He travelled on horse-
back, and in this manner performed all his tours :
he was an early riser, and was extremely temperate
in his living, refraining always from supper, which
he stigmatizes as the " meal of excess."

His health continued unimpaired till within a few
years of his decease. The illness and death of a
favourite daughter threw the first clouds over the
serenity of his old age ; and soon after he broke the
patella of his knee while ascending a flight of steps —
an accident which confined him long to his room, and
though it allowed him to pursue his usual exercise
on horseback, the bones never united, and he could
not walk afterwards without difficulty. In another
year his spirits seem to have improved, for he pub-
lished his account of the parishes of Whiteford and
Holywell, with the motto " Resurgam ;" but it
was only a passing exertion, and he began to decline
gradually. This was two years previous to his
death, and during that time he continued to revise

38 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

and correct the manuscript of the Outlines of the
Globe. At this time, his native county became agi-
tated with political brawls, and the mind of the old
man, always interested in its welfare, had not vigour
to cope with the arguments of his antagonists. An-
other heavy loss was sustained in the death of his
friend and neighbour Sir Roger Mostyn. These
circumstances had a serious effect on his health and
temper, and perhaps hastened the termination of his
days. In October his limbs became swelled, and
he was soon after confined to his bed : he became
gradually more exhausted, and, after a protracted ill-
ness, he expired with all the resignation of a Chris-
tian, on the 16th December 1798, at the advanced
age of seventy-two.

Mr Pennant was married twice, first, in 1759, to
the sister of Thomas Falconer, Esq. of Chester, and, se-
cond, to the sister of Sir Roger Mostyn, whose proper-
ty marched with Downing, and whose death had so
depressing an effect on his spirits a few months before
his own decease. By these alliances he had several
children. His son David superintended the publi-
cation of the volumes of the Outlines of the Globe
which were left complete at his decease ; but none
appear to have had the same active mind as their
father, or to have continued his literary character by
their own works.

His style is correct, and well fitted for descrip-
tion. Want of arrangement has been the great fault
found with his historical writings ; but this was a

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 39

necessary consequence, from having chosen the form
of a journal for his Tours, and of following the
country and incidents as they actually occurred.
Straggling facts, suggested hy the district, are per-
haps too often introduced.

His works on Natural History were much valued
at the time of their publication, and contained the
greater part of the knowledge of the times, upon
the subjects of which they treated. The value in
which they were held abroad was seen in the trans-
lations which appeared in various countries; and
the British and Arctic Zoologies are universally con-
sulted and referred to in the publications of the pre-
sent day. Though there is much in these volumi-
nous writings that has been superseded by more
recent discoveries, still they contain a great deai
of curious and interesting information; and, per-
haps, as they are now but rarely to be met with,
except in public libraries, we may do an act of
justice to the memory of Pennant, as well as confer
a favour on our readers, by selecting a few extracts
as an appropriate accompaniment to the preceding
sketch. In the first volume of his Arctic Zoology,
he gives a truly picturesque description of the mode
of taking eggs and sea-fowl, as practised in some of
the Orkney and other neighbouring islands.

" Multitudes of the inhabitants of each cluster
of islands feed, during the season, on the eggs of
the birds of the cliffs. The method of taking them
is so very hazardous, as to satisfy us of the ex-

40 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

tremity to which the poor people are driven for
want of food. Copinsha, Hunda, Hoy, Foula,
and Ness Head, are the most celebrated rocks;
and the neighbouring natives are the most expert
climbers and adventurers after the game of the
precipice. The height of some is above fifty fa-
thoms ; their faces roughened with shelves or ledges,
sufficient only for the birds to rest and lay their eggs.
To these the dauntless fowlers will ascend, pass
intrepidly from the one to the other, collect the
eggs and birds, and descend with the same indif-
ference. In most places the attempt is made from
above ; they are lowered from the slope contiguous
to the brink by a rope, sometimes made of straw,
sometimes of the bristle of the hog ; the last they
prefer even to ropes of hemp, as it is not liable to
be cut by the sharpness of the rocks ; the former is
apt to untwist. They trust themselves to a single
assistant, who lets his companion down and holds
the rope, depending on his strength alone, which
often fails, and the adventurer is sure to be dashed
in pieces, or drowned in the subjacent sea. The
rope is often shifted from place to place, with the
impending weight of the fowler and his booty.
The person above receives signals for the purpose,
his associate being far out of sight, who, during
the operation, by help of a staff, springs from the
face of the rocks, to avoid injury from the projecting
parts.

" In Foula, they will trust to a small stake driven

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 4l

into the ground, or to a small dagger which the
natives usually carry about them, and which they
will stick into the ground, and twisting round it a
fishing cord, descend by that to climbing places,
and after finishing their business, scramble up by it
without fear. Few who make a practice of this,
come to a natural death. They have a common
saying, ' Such a one's gutcher went over the sneak ;
and my father went over the sneak too/ It is a
pity that the old Norwegian law was not here ill
force. It considered this kind of death as a species
of suicide. The next of kin, in case the body could
be seen, was directed to go the same way ; if he
refused, the corpse was not to be admitted into
holy ground.

" But the most singular species of fowling is in
the holm of Ness, a vast rock severed from the isle
of Ness by some unknown convulsion, and only
about sixteen fathoms distant. It is of the same
stupendous height (1480 feet) as the opposite pre-
cipice, with a raging sea between, so that the
intervening chasm is of matchless horror. Some
adventurous climber, having reached the rock in a
boat and gained the height, fastens several stakes
on the small portion of earth which is to be found
on the top ; correspondent stakes are placed on the
edge of the correspondent cliffs. A rope is fixed
to the stakes on both sides, along which a machine,
called a cradle, is contrived to slide, and by the
help of a small parallel cord, fastened in Hke

42 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

manner, the adventurer wafts himself over, and
returns with his booty, which is the eggs or young
of the black-backed gull, and the herring gull."

We shall next accompany Pennant to the Faroe
Islands, of which he has given an interesting de-
scription ; as also of the common land birds, and
the method of fowling practised by the inhabitants.
" The list of land birds is very small ; the cinereous
eagle, the larmer, the sparrow-hawk, a species of
owl, the raven, and hooded-crow, are the perni-
cious species. Ravens were so destructive to the
lambs and sheep, that in old times every boatman
was obliged to bring into the Sessions-house, on
St. Olaus's day, the beak of one of those birds ; or
pay one skin, which was called the raven-fine, in
case of neglect. The remaining land fowl are wild
pigeons and stares, white wagtails, wrens, and some-
times swallows. The snow-bunting only rests here
in spring, on its passage northward. The heron is
sometimes met with ; the spoon-bill is common ;
the sea-pie, water-rail, and lapwing are seen here.
The birds of the rocks, such as puffins, razor-bills,
and little auks, foolish and black guillemots, swarm
here ; and the geyir-fugl or great auk, at certain
periods, visits these islands ; the last, by reason of its
short wing, incapable of flight, nestles at the foot of
the cliffs. The skua, arctic, black-backed, and her-
ring gulls, fulmars, manks, stormy petrels, imber
and northern divers, wild swans and geese (the
swans only vernal passengers towards the north),

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 43

eider ducks, havelda, or long-tailed ducks, corvo-
rants, and the sula gannet, form the sum of the
palmated fowl of these inhospitable spots.

" The manner of fowling is so very strange and
hazardous, that the description should by no means
be omitted. Necessity compels mankind to won-
derful attempts. The cliffs which contain the ob-
jects of their search, are often two hundred fathoms
in height, and are attempted from above and below.
In the first case, the fowlers provide themselves with
a rope eighty or a hundred fathoms in length. The
fowler fastens one end about his waist, and between
his legs, recommends himself to the protection of
the Almighty, and is lowered down by six others,
who place a piece of timber on the margin of the
rock, to preserve the rope from wearing against the
sharp edge. They have besides a small line fasten-
ed to the body of the adventurer, by which he gives
signals that they may lower or raise him, or shift
him from place to place. The last operation is at-
tended with great danger by the loosening of the
stones, which often fall on his head, and would in-
fallibly destroy him, were it not protected by a
strong thick cap ; but even that is found unequal to
save him against the weight of the larger fragments
of rock. The dexterity of the fowlers is amazing ,
they will place their feet against the front of the
precipice, and dart themselves some fathoms from
it, with a cool eye survey the places where the
birds nestle, and again shoot into their haunts. In

44 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

some places the birds lodge in deep recesses ; the
fowler will alight there, disengage himself from the
rope, fix it to a stone, and at his leisure collect the
booty, fasten it to his girdle, and resume his peril-
ous seat. At times he will again spring from the
rock, and in that attitude, with a fowling net placed
at the end of a staff, catch the old birds which are
flying to and from their retreats. When he hath
finished his dreadful employ, he gives a signal to
his friends above, who pull him up and share the
hard-earned profit. The feathers are preserved for
exportation ; the flesh is partly eaten fresh ; but
the greater portion dried for winter's provision.

" The fowling from below has its share of danger
too. The party goes on the expedition in a boat ;
and when it has attained the base of the precipice,
one of the most daring, having fastened a rope
about his waist, and furnished himself with a long
pole with an iron hook at one end, either climbs or
is thrust up by his companions, who place a pole
under his breech, to the next footing-spot he can
reach. He by means of the rope, brings up one
of the boat's crew ; the rest are drawn up in the
same manner, and each is furnished with his rope
and fowling-staff. They then continue their pro-
gress upwards in the same manner, till they arrive
at the region of birds, and wander about the face of
the cliff in search of them. They then act in pairs ;
one fastens himself to the end of his associate's rope,
and in places where birds have nestled beneath Ids

MEMOIR OP PENNANT- 45

footing, he permits himself to be lowered down,
depending for his security to the strength of his
companion, who is to haul him up again ; hut it
sometimes happens that the person above is over-
powered by the weight, and both inevitably perish.
They fling the fowl down to the boat, which attends
their motions and receives the booty. They often
pass seven or eight days in this tremendous employ,
and lodge in the crannies which they find in the
face of the precipice.

" The sea which surrounds these islands is ex-
tremely turbulent. The tides vary greatly on the
eastern and western sides. On the first, where is
received the uninterrupted flood of the ocean from
remote Greenland, the tide rises seven fathoms ; on
the eastern side, it rises only three. Dreadful
whirlwinds, called by the Danes oes* agitate the sea
to a great degree ; catch up a vast quantity of
water, so as to leave a great temporary chasm in
the spot in which it falls, and carries away with it,
to an amazing distance, any fishes which may hap-
pen to be within reach of its fury. Thus great
shoals of herrings have been found on the highest
mountains of the Faroe. It is equally resistless on
land, tearing up trees, stones, and animals, and car-
rying them to very distant places. "We must no
longer laugh at the good Archbishop of Upsala
(Olaus Magnus), who gravely tells us, that at times
the rats called lemming are poured down from the
clouds in great showers on the Alps of Norway.

46 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

We assent to the fact, but must solve the pheno-
menon by ascribing it to a whirlwind, as he does
in one place, yet immediately supposes they may be
bred in the upper regions out of feculent matter."

Following our tourist to Iceland, we shall select
a few of his zoological observations on that remote
island. " An attempt has been made to introduce
the rein-deer; those which have survived the voyage
have bred frequently. There can be little doubt of
their succeeding ; Iceland has, in common with Lap-
land, most of the plants for their summer's food,
and abundance of the rein-deer lichen for their
winter provision. Rats and mice seem to have been
involuntarily transported. Both the domestic spe-
cies are found here ; and the white variety of the
mouse, called in the Icelandic skorger mys^ is com-
mon in the bushes. I suspect that there is a na-
tive species allied, as Dr. Pallas imagines, to the
Oeconomic ; for like that, it lays in a great maga-
zine of berries by way of winter store. This species
is particularly plentiful in the wood of Husafels. In
a country where berries are but thinly dispersed,
these little animals are obliged to cross rivers to
make their distant forages. In their return with
their booty to their magazines, they are obliged to
repass the stream ; of which Mr. Oleffen gives the
following account : — c The party, which consists of
from six to ten, select a flat piece of dried cow-
dung, on which they lay the berries in a heap on
the middle ; then by their united force they bring

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. V

it to the water's edge, and after launching it, they
embark and place themselves round the heap with
their heads joined over it, and their backs to the
water, their tails pendent in the water, serving the
purpose of rudders/ When I consider the wonder-
ful sagacity of beavers, and think of the manage-
ment of the squirrel, which in cases of similar
necessity make a piece of bark their boat, and
tail their sail, I no longer hesitate to credit the re-
lation.

" The common fox and the arctic are frequent ;
but they are proscribed and killed, in order to pre-
vent the havoc they would make among the sheep.
The polar bear is often transported from Greenland
on the islands of floating ice ; but no sooner is ite
landing discovered, than a general alarm is spread,
and pursuit made till it is destroyed. The Ice-
landers are very intrepid in their attacks on this
animal ; and a single man, armed only with a spear,
frequently enters the lists with this tremendous
beast, and never fails of victory. A person who
lived near Langeness, the extreme northern point,
where the bears most frequently land, is still cele-
brated for having slain not fewer than twenty in
single combat. There is a reward for every skin,
which must be delivered to the next magistrate.

" The amphibious animals, or seals, are very nu-
merous. Iceland being blest with domestic animals,
has less use of this race than other arctic countries ;
yet they are of considerable advantage. The skins

48 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

are used for clothing ; a good one is equal in value
to the skin of a sheep, or the hide of a cow ; and
the fat supplies the lamps in the long nights with
oil. The Icelanders have two species of native
seals, the common called hy them land-soelur^ be-
cause it keeps near the coast ; the other the great
seal, or ut-scelur. They are taken in nets placed
in the creeks and narrow bays, which they pass
through to get on shore. When it begins to grow
dark, the hunters make a fire, and fling into it the
shavings of horns, or any thing that smells strong.
This allures the seals, who strike into the nets and
are taken. At other times a Koder or lure is tied
to a rope, and placed before the nets ; to which the
seals, supposing it to be some strange animal, will
eagerly swim, and strike into the nets ; paying with
their lives for their curiosity. This carries them
sometimes so far, that they will stray to a consider-
able distance inland, attracted by a candle or the
fire in a smith's forge. If they are young, they are
capable of being tamed; they will follow their
master, and come to him like a dog, when called by
the name which is given them. The Icelanders
have a strange superstition about these animals ;
they believe they resemble the human species more
than any other ; and that they are the offspring of
Pharaoh and his host, who were converted into
seals when they were overwhelmed in the Red
Sea.

a Other species of seals are migratory ; among

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 49

these is the harp, or vctde-tcelur, which quit the
seas of Iceland in March, and swim through the
Straits of Davies, by some unknown opening, to the
farthest north, bring forth their young, and return
by the north of Greenland in May, extremely lean,
to the north of Iceland, continue their route, and
return to that island about Christmas, chiefly upon
the drift-ice, on which they are either shot or har-
pooned/'

In describing the extreme northern coasts of
Norway and Finmark, Pennant makes some inci-
dental allusions to two of our early discoverers in
those regions, and mentions a circumstance which
appears to have given rise to the British Whale
Fishery in the Arctic Seas. " The most northern
fortress in the world, and of unknown antiquity, is
Wordhuys, situated in a good harbour, in the isle
of TVardoe at the extremity of Finmark, probably
built for the protection of the fishing trade, the
only object it could have in this remote place. A
little farther eastward in Muscovitish Finmark, is
Arzina, rioted for the sad fate of that gallant gentle-
man, Sir Hugh Willoughby, who, in 1553, com-
manded the first voyage on the discovery by sea of
Muscovia, by the north-east ; a country at that time
scarcely known to the rest of Europe. He unfor-
tunately lost his passage, was driven by tempests
into this port, where he and all his men were found
the following year frozen to death. His more for-
tunate consort, Richard Chancellor, captain and

VOL. VII. D

50 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

pilot-major, pursued his voyage, and renewed liis
discovery of the White Sea, or Bay of St. Nicholas,
a place totally forgotten since the days of Ohthere.
The circumstances attending his arrival, exactly re-
semble those of the first discoverers of America.
He admired the barbarity of the Russian inhabi-
tants ; they in return were in amaze at the size of
his ship, they fell down and would have kissed his
feet, and when they left him, spread abroad the
arrival of c a strange nation of singular gentlenesse
and courtesie.' He visited, in sledges, the court of
Basilowitz II., then at Moscow, and laid the founda-
tion of immense commerce to this country for a series
of years, even to the remote and unthought of
Russia.

" At the remote end of the isle of Maggeroe, is
the North Cape, high and flat at top, or what the
sailors call table-land. These are but the continua-
tion of the great chains of mountains which divides
Scandinavia, and sinks and rises through the ocean
in different places, through the Seven Sisters, the
nearest land to the pole which we are acquainted
with. The first appearance above water, from this
group, is at Cherie Island, in lat. 74° 30', a most
solitary spot, rather more than midway between the
North Cape and Spitzbergen, or about 150 miles
from the latter. Its figure is nearly round ; its sur-
face rises into lofty mountainous summits, craggy,
and covered with perpetual snow. One of them is
truly called Mount Misery. The horror of this isle

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 51

to the first discoverers must have been unspeak-
able ; the prospect is dreary, black (where not hid
with snow), and broken into a thousand precipices.
No sounds are heard but of the dashing of the
waves, the crashing collision of floating ice, the dis-
cordant notes of myriads of sea-fowl, the yelping of
arctic foxes, the snorting of the walruses, or the
roaring of the Polar bears.

" This island was probably discovered by Stephen
Bennet in 1603, employed by Alderman Cherie,
in honour of whom the place was named. The an-
chorage near it is twenty and thirty fathoms. He
found there the tooth of a walrus, but saw none of
the animals, their season here being past. This was
the 17th of August. Encouraged by the hopes of
profit, Bennet made a second voyage next year, and
arrived at the island the 9th of July; when he
found the walruses lying huddled on one another, a
thousand in a heap. For \vant of experience he
killed only a few ; but in succeeding voyages, the
adventurers killed (in 1606), in six hours time,
seven or eight hundred; in 1608, nine hundred or
a thousand, in seven hours ; and in 1610, above
seven hundred. The profit, in the teeth, oil, and
skins, was very considerable ; but the slaughter made
among the animals frightened the survivors away,
so that the benefit of the business was lost, and the
island no more frequented. But from this defi-
ciency originated the commencement of the Whale
Fishery by the English."

52 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

Before quitting these regions, we shall give Pen-
nant's description of the fantastic appearance of the
ice. " The forms assumed by the ice in this chill-
ing climate, are extremely pleasing to even the most
incurious eye. The surface of that which is con-
gealed from the sea-water (for I must allow it two
origins) is flat and even, hard, opake, resembling
white sugar, and incapable of being slid on like the
British ice. The greater pieces, or fields, are many
leagues in length ; the lesser, are the meadows of
the seals, on which these animals, at times, frolic
by hundreds. The motion of the lesser pieces is
rapid as the currents ; the greater, which are some-
times two hundred leagues long and sixty or eighty
broad, move slow and majestically ; often fix for a
time immoveable by the power of the ocean, and
there produce, near the horizon, that bright white
appearance called by mariners the blink of the ice.
The approximation of two great fields produces a
most singular phenomenon. It forces the lesser (if
the term can be applied to pieces of several acres
square) out of the water, and adds them to their
surface. A second and often a third succeeds ; so
that the whole form an aggregate of tremendous
height. These float in the sea, like so many rug-
ged mountains ; and are sometimes five or six
hundred yards thick ; but the far greater part is
concealed beneath the water. These are continually
increased in height by the freezing of the spray of
the sea, or of the melting of the snow which falls

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 53

on them. Those which remain in this frozen
ciimate, receive continual growth ; others are gra-
dually wafted by the northern winds into southern
latitudes, and melt hy degrees hy the heat of the
sun, till they waste away, or disappear in the bound -
less element.

" The collision of the great fields of ice in the
high latitudes, is often attended with a noise that
for a time takes away the sense of hearing any
thing else ; and the lesser, with a grinding of un-
speakahle horror. The water which dashes against
the mountainous ice, freezes into an infinite variety
of forms, and gives the voyager ideal towers, streets,
churches, steeples, and every shape that imagination
can frame.

"The icehergs or glaciers of the north-east of
Spitzhergen, are among the capital wonders of the
country ; they are seven in number, but at consider-
able distances from each other. Each fills the
valley for tracts unknown, in a region totally in-
accessible in the internal parts. The glaciers of
Switzerland seem contemptible to these, but present
often a similar front in some lower valley. The
last exhibits, over the sea, a front three hundred
feet high, emulating the emerald in colour. Cata-
racts of melted snow precipitate down various parts,
and black spiring mountains, streaked with white,
bound the sides, and rise crag above crag, as far as
eye can reach in the back ground. At times im-
mense fragments break off, and tumble into the

54 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

water with a most alarming clashing. Frost sports
also with these icebergs, and gives them majestic
as well as other most singular forms. Masses have
been seen assuming the shape of a gothic church,
with arched windows and doors, and all the rich
tracery of that style, composed of what an Arabian
tale would scarcely dare to relate, of crystal of the
richest sapphirine blue ; tables with one or more
feet; and often immense flat-roofed temples, like
those of Luxor on the Nile, supported by round
transparent columns of cerulean hue, float by the
spectator. The snow of these high latitudes is as
singular as the ice ; it is first small and hard as the
finest sand ; changes its form to that of an hexa-
gonal shield; into the shape of needles, crosses,
cinquefoils, and stars plain and with serrated rays.
Their forms depend on the disposition of the at-
mosphere ; and in calm weather it coalesces and
falls in clusters."

In treating of the different varieties of the bear,
Pennant gives a very amusing account of the man-
ner in which the arctic tribes hunt these animals,
and of certain superstitious customs which they
observe on these occasions. " In all savage nations
the bear has been an object of veneration. Among
the Americans, a feast is made in honour of each
that is killed. The head of the beast is painted
with all colours, and placed on an elevated spot,
where it receives the respects of all the guests, who
celebrate in songs the praises of the bear. They

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 55

cut the body in pieces, and regale on it, which con-
cludes the ceremony.

" The chase of these animals is a matter of the
first importance, and never undertaken without
abundance of ceremony. A principal warrior first
gives a general invitation to all the hunters. This
is followed by a most serious fast of eight days, a
total abstinence from all kinds of food ; notwith-
standing which, they pass the day in continual
song. This they do to invite the spirits of the
woods to direct them to the places where there is
abundance of bears. They even cut the flesh in
divers parts of their bodies, to render the spirits
more propitious. They also address themselves to
the manes of the beasts slain in preceding chases, as
if it were to direct them in their dreams to plenty
of game. One dreamer alone cannot determine
the place of the chase ; numbers must concur, but as
they tell each other their dreams, they never fail to
agree ; — whether that may arise from complaisance,
or by a real agreement in the dreamers, from their
thoughts being perpetually turned on the same
thing.

" The chief of the huntsmen gives a great feast,
at which none dares to appear without first bath-
ing. At this entertainment they eat with great
moderation, contrary to their usual custom. The
master of the feast alone touches nothing ; but is
employed in relating to the guests ancient tales of
wonderful feats in former chases ; fresh invocations

56 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

to the manes of the deceased bears conclude the
whole. They then sally forth amidst the acclama-
tions of the village, equipped as if for war, and
painted black. Every able hunter is on a level with
a great warrior ; but he must have killed his dozen
great beasts before his character is established ;
after which his alliance is as much courted as that
of the most valiant captain. They then proceed on
their way in a direct line ; neither rivers, marshes,
nor any other impediments stop their course ; driv-
ing before them all the beasts which they find in
their way. When they arrive at the hunting ground,
they surround as large a space as their company
will admit, and then contract their order; search-
ing, as they close in, every hollow tree, and every
place fit for the retreat of the bear ; and continue
the same practice till the time of the chase is
expired.

" As soon as a bear is killed, a hunter puts into
its mouth a lighted pipe of tobacco, and blowing
into it, fills the throat with smoke, conjuring the
spirit of the animal not to resent what they are
going to do to its body, nor to render their future
chases unsuccessful. As the beast makes no reply,
they cut out the string of the tongue, and throw it
into the fire. If it crackles and runs in (which it
is almost sure to do), they accept it as a good omen ;
if not, they consider that the spirit of the beast is
not appeased, and that the chase of the next year
will be unfortunate.

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 57

" The hunters live well during the chase, on pro-
visions which they bring with them. They return
home with great pride and self-sufficiency, for to
kill a bear forms the character of a complete man.
They again give a great entertainment, and now
make a point to leave nothing. The feast is dedi-
cated to a certain genius, perhaps Gluttony, whose
resentment they dread, if they do not eat every
morsel, and even sup up the very melted grease in
which the meat was dressed. They sometimes eat
till they burst, or bring on themselves some violent
disorders. The first course is the greatest bear
they have killed, without even taking out the en-
trails or stripping off the skin, contenting themselves
with singeing it, as is practised with hogs.

The Kamtschatkans, before their conversion to
Christianity, had almost similar superstitions re-
specting bears and other wild beasts. They entreat-
ed the bears and wolves not to hurt them in the
chase ; and whales and marine animals, not to over-
turn their boats. They never call the two former
by their proper names, but by that of Sipang, or
ill-luck. At present the Kamtschatkans kill the
bear and other wild beasts with guns; formerly
they had variety of inventions, such as filling the
entrance to its den with logs, and then digging
down upon the animal and destroying it with spears.
In Siberia, it is taken by making a trap-fall of a
great piece of timber, which drops and crushes it
to death ; or by forming a noose on a rope fastened

58 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

to a great log. The bear runs its head into the
noose, and finding itself engaged, grows furious,
and either falls down some precipice and kills itself,
or wearies itself to death by its agitations.

" The killing of a bear in fair battle, is reckoned
as great a piece of heroism by the Kamtschatkans,
as it is with the Americans. The victor makes a
feast on the occasion, and regales his neighbours
with the beast ; then hangs the head and thighs
about his tent by way of trophies. These people use
the skins to lie on, and for coverlets ; also for bon-
nets, gloves, collars for their dogs, and soles for
their shoes, to prevent them slipping on the ice.
Of the shoulder blades they make instruments
(scythes) to cut the grass ; of the intestines, covers
for their faces to protect them from the sun during
spring; and the Cossacks extend them over their
windows instead of glass. The flesh and fat are
among the chief dainties of the country.

" Superstitions relative to this animal, did not
confine themselves to America and Asia ; but
spread equally over the North of Europe. The
Laplanders held it in the greatest veneration ; they
called it the c Dog of God/ because they esteemed it
to have the strength of ten men, and the sense of
twelve. They never presume to call it by its proper
name, lest it revenge the insult on their flocks, but
style it muedda-aigia, or the old gentleman in a fur-
red cloak. The killing of a bear is reckoned a great
exploit. The Laplanders bring home the slain

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 59

beasts in triumph ; they erect a new tent near their
former dwelling, but never enter it till they have
flung off the dress of the chase. They continue in it
three entire days, and the women keep at home the
same space. The men dress the carcase of the bear
in the new tent, and make their repast, giving part
to the females ; but take great care never to bestow
on them a bit of the rump. Neither will they de-
liver to them the meat through the common en-
trance of the hut ; but through a hole in another
part. In sign of victory, the men sprinkle them-
selves with the blood of the beast. After they
have finished eating the flesh, they bury the bones
with great solemnity, and place every bone in its
proper position, from a firm persuasion that the
bear will be restored, and reanimate a new body.

" All who have tasted the flesh of this animal, say
that it is most delicious eating. A young bear fat-
tened with the autumnal fruits, is a dish fit for the
nicest epicure. It is wholesome and nourishing,
and resembles pork more than any other meat.
The tongue and the paws are esteemed the most
exquisite morsels ; the hams are also excellent, but
apt to rust, if not very well preserved. Four inches
depth of fat has been found on a single bear, and
fifteen or sixteen gallons of pure oil melted from it.
The fat is of a pure white, and has the singular
quality of never lying heavy on the stomach, not-
withstanding a person drank a quart of it. The
Americans make great use of it for frying their

60 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

fish; it is besides used medicinally, and found
very efficacious in rheumatic complaints, aches, and
strains*/'

The only other passage we shall give from the
Arctic Zoology, is a curious and somewhat romantic
description of the habits of the ursine seal, which
are found in vast multitudes in the islands between
Kamtschatka and America, but are scarcely known
to land on the Asiatic shore. " They live in fami-
lies ; every male is surrounded by a seraglio of
from eight to fifty females ; these he guards with
the jealousy of an eastern monarch. Each family
keeps separate from the others, notwithstanding they
lie by thousands on the shore. Every family, with
the unmarried and the young, amounts to about
] 20. They also swim in tribes, when they take the
sea. The males show great affection towards their

* In England, the polar bear became part of the royal
menagerie as early as the reign of Henry III. Mr. Walpole
has proved how great a patron that despised prince was of
the arts ; it is not less evident that he extended his protec-
tion to Natural History. We find that he had procured a
white bear from Norway, whence it was probably imported
from Greenland ; the Norwegians having possessed that country
eome centuries before that period. There are two writs
extant from that monarch, directing the Sheriff of London
" to furnish sixpence a-day to support our white bear in our
Tower of London ; and to provide a muzzle and iron chain
to hold him, when out of the water ; and a long and strong
rope to hold him when he was fishing in the Thames." Fit
provision was made, at the same time, for the King's ele-
phant.

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 61

young, and equal tyranny towards the females.
The former are fierce in the protection of their
offspring; and should any one attempt to take
Iheir cub, will stand on the defensive, while the
female carries it away in her mouth. Should she
happen to drop it, the male instantly quits its ene-
my, falls on her, and beats her against the stones
till he leaves her for dead. As soon as she re-
covers, she crawls to his feet in the most suppliant
manner, and washes them with her tears; he, at
the same time, actually insults her misery, stalking
about in the most insolent manner. But if the
young is entirely carried off, he melts into the
greatest affliction, likewise sheds tears, and shows
every mark of deep sorrow. It is probable that as
the dam brings only one or at most two cubs, he
feels his misfortune the more sensibly.

" Those animals which are destitute of females,
through age or infirmity, or are deserted by them,
withdraw themselves from society, and grow exces-
sively splenetic, peevish, and quarrelsome ; are very
furious, and so attached to their ancient stations, as
to prefer death to the loss of them. They are
enormously fat, and emit a most nauseous and rank
smell. If they perceive another animal approach
their seat, they are instantly roused from their in-
dolence, snap at the encroacher, and give battle.
During the fight, they insensibly intrude on the
station of their neighbour ; this creates new offence,
so that at length the civil discord spreads through

62 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

the whole shore, attended with hideous growls, their
note of war. They are very tenacious of life, and
will live a fortnight after receiving such wounds
as would soon destroy any other animal.

" The particular cause of disputes among these
irrascible animals are the following : — The first and
greatest is when an attempt is made to seduce any
of their mistresses, or a young female of the family.
A battle is the immediate consequence of the in-
sult ; the unhappy vanquished instantly loses his
whole seraglio, who desert him for the victorious
hero. The invasion of the station of another, gives
rise to fresh conflicts; and the third cause is the
interfering in the disputes of others. The battles
they wage are very tremendous ; the wounds they
inflict, very deep, like the cut of a sabre. At the
conclusion of an engagement, they fling themselves
into the sea to wash off the blood.

u Besides their notes of war, they have several
others ; when they lie on shore, and are diverting
themselves, they low like a cow ; after victory, they
chirp like a cricket ; on a defeat, or after receiving
a wound, mew like a cat. Common seals and sea
otters stand in great awe of these animals, and shun
their haunts. They, again, are in equal awe of the
leonine seals, and do not care to begin a quarrel in
their sight, dreading the intervention of such for-
midable arbitrators, who likewise possess the first
place on the shore. The great old animals are in
no fear of mankind, unless they are suddenly sur-

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 63

prised by a loud shout, when they will hurry by
thousands into the sea, swim about, and stare at
the novelty of their disturbers. When they come
out of the water, they shake themselves, and smooth
their hair with their hind feet ; apply their lips to
those of the female, as if they meant to kiss them ;
lie down and bask in the sun with their hind legs
up, which they wag as a dog does his tail ; some-
times roll themselves up into a ball and fall asleep.
Their sleep is never so sound but they all awake by
the least alarm, for their sense of hearing, as also
that of smelling, is most exquisite."

In concluding this Memoir of theLife and Writings
of Pennant, it would be an omission not to acknow-
ledge the obligations which his indefatigable labours
conferred on Natural History. His Arctic Zoology
was originally intended to embrace the History of
Animals in' the Northern parts of America, which
at that time were connected with Great Britain.
With that view he had commenced collecting ma-
terials; and by dint of great industry, and the
contributions of various correspondents, including
the most eminent Naturalists both in this and other
countries, he had made far greater progress in his
undertaking than he could have anticipated. Mean-
time, however, the American States declared their
independence of Britain ; and this circumstance so
far interrupted the original plan, that, as the author
says^ " I could no longer support my claim of
entitling myself its (North America) humble Zoolo-

64 MEMOIR OF PENNANT.

gist ; yet, unwilling to fling away all my labours,
do now deliver them to the public under the title of
the Arctic Zoology." In winding up his task,
Pennant concludes with the following remarks,
which are worthy of being recorded, as equally
honourable to his enthusiasm in the cause of physi-
cal science, and to the amiable modesty with which
he estimates his own exertions : — " I have now
done as much as the lights of my days have fur-
nished me with. In some remote age, when the
British offspring shall have pervaded the whole of
their vast Continent (North America); or the
descendants of the hardy Russians colonized the
western parts, from their distant Kamtschatka —
the road in future time to new conquests; after,
perhaps, bloody contests between the progeny of
Britons and Russians about countries to which
neither have any right ; after the deaths of thousands
of claimants, and the extirpation of poor natives by
the sword and new-imported diseases ; — then a quiet
settlement may take place, civilization ensue, and
the arts of peace be cultivated ; — then may learning,
the luxury of the s,oul, diffuse itself through the
nation, and some Naturalist arise, who, with spirit
and abilities, may explore each boundary of the
ocean which separates the Asiatic and American
Continents ; — may render certain what I can only
suspect ; and by his observations on the feathered
tribes, their flights and migrations, give utility to
mankind} in moral and economical operations, by

MEMOIR OF PENNANT. 65

inquiries which the ancients knew well to apply to
the benefit of their fellow-creatures. He may,
perhaps, smile on the labours of the Arctic Zoologist
(if by that time they are not quite obsolete) ; and,
as the animate Creation never changes her course,
he may find much right; and if he is endowed
^vith a good heart, will candidly attribute the
errors to misrepresentation, or the common in-
firmity of human nature."

VOL. VII.

67

ORNITHOLOGY.

NATURAL HISTORY OF HUMMING-BIRDS,

Like Fairy Sprites, a thousand birds
Glance by on golden wing,
Birds lovelier than the lovely hues
Of the bloom wherein they sing.

IN our first volume, devoted to the illustration of
a portion of this splendid tribe of birds, we endea-
voured to collect all the information contained in the
numerous voyages of discovery, and the expensive
and elegant works which have been devoted to their
natural history *. It cannot, therefore, now be ex-
pected that we have discovered many additional facts
regarding their curious habits and economy. But
in our farther researches, we have been led more and
more to wonder at the brightness of their external
covering, and to admire the wisdom which has so
admirably adapted the structure to the wants of

*The best work, describing the Humming-birds, is three
beautiful volumes by Lesson, containing 219 plates, most
delicately executed.

68 HUMMING-BIRDS.

these frail and shining beings. In the present vo-
lume we have given descriptions of most of the birds
which have been satisfactorily established, and trust
that the young Ornithologist will thus be enabled to
determine the greater number of those which may
come under his observation ; these, as far as pos-
sible, follow a plate somewhat representing the par-
ticular form. At the conclusion, we have given a
condensed Synopsis of the species, mentioning with
each the modern genus in which it has been placed.
An arrangement of the genera is not now attempt-
ed ; for it is not yet very clearly established how these
genera should stand, even by those who have had op-
portunities of seeing the greater part of the family to-
gether— and we are not surprised at this, when we
look at the almost infinite variety of form which is as-
sumed among them. They will one day constitute a
most useful illustration of the natural system, strik-
ingly representing forms in the other divisions of the
great class to which they belong.

When alluding to the splendid plumage and singu-
lar feathered appendages of the males, we did not
mention that we conceived it peculiar to the season
of incubation. In many of those which are described
as the young, before the brilliant plumage has been
attained, we consider that it is from the difference of
season, not of age, that this takes place ; and instead
of being called the adult plumage, it should rather
obtain the name of the nuptial dress. We believe
a change takes place in the plumage of tdl birds

HUMMING-BIRDS. (j<)

at the beginning of spring, or at the time when the
business of reproduction commences. This is marked
either by a greater brilliancy, or by the appearance of
rich ruffs, crests, or some additional appendage of the
skin or feathers. After the first months of the love
season have passed, these are lost, and at the au-
tumnal moult, the plumage is thickened, and com-
mences the preparation for a sufficient clothing in win-
ter, and a display of splendour for the ensuing spring.
Among our native birds, we have constant and
familiar examples of this, though perhaps they are
not always noticed. The Chaffinch loses the brown
tips to the feathers on his crown, and they become
a rich and beautiful blue ; the Linnet those of his
breast, which assume a lovely crimson tint. The
Snow Bunting, so common on the wild moors dur-
ing winter, from a pleasing brown changes to a pure
black and white. The Heron and Lapwing gain their
beautiful crests, the former his pendent breast fea-
thers, and the Egrets receive their valuable orna-
ments. The numerous tribes of Bustards, Plovers,
and Sandpipers, are some of the most remarkable for
the distinct variation of their colours. The lower
parts of the males, in almost all the species of the
two first groups, assume a deep and glossy black
while in the Sandpipers, bright shades of chestnut
brown are the emblems that the season of incuba-
tion has commenced, and in one singular instance,
the variable ruff reminds us of the Ruff-necked Hum-
ming-birds. Among the web-footed water-fowl we

70 HUMMING-BIRDS.

have similar changes. The common black head-
ed Gull gains its soft and chaste looking cowl ; the
Teal, Wild Drake, and Goosander, their glossy heads;
the Divers, the curious markings of their throats ;
the Grebes the lengthened fringes which spring from
their cheeks or auricular feathers ; and instances of
the change of colour, or increased brilliancy of the
skin, may be mentioned in the naked space surround-
ing the eye of the Pheasant, the skin above the eyes
of the various Grouse, and the forehead of the Coot
and Water-Hen. Many other common instances
might be given from our own well-known birds ; and
the inhabitants of other climes will present many still
more singular, though none perhaps so splendid, as
the temporary adornments of Humming-birds.

Regarding their manners during the breeding sea-
son, we may mention, in addition to what was re-
lated in the introductory chapter to the first volume,
that both male and female sit by turns, and, on the
authority of M. Drapiez, that there are two, three,
and sometimes four broods in the year. This last
fact will enable us better to account for the immense
profusion of these little birds which are generally found
together. Their nest seems to be built in a greater
variety of shapes, and of more varied materials, than
the compact and elegant structures which we see in
collections, and which have been sent to this country,
more from their beauty and neatness than for the
sake of increasing our knowledge of their formation.
The following remarks upon the manners of the

HUMMING-BIRDS. 71

Ruby-crested Humming-bird, which describe its
manner of building, I have copied from a letter re-
ceived a few weeks since from my very active cor-
respondent, Mr Kirk, resident in the island of To-
bago. Speaking of the appearance of this species
in that island, he says, " Thus the Ruby Humming-
bird makes its appearance here on the 1st of February.
Some say it is found in the leeward part of the
island all the year ; others, that it arrives earlier by
a month than to the windward ; the latter I think
more probable. Certain I am, that there is no indi-
vidual in the island who takes so much exercise in
the woods as I do ; and I can positively say, that
since the 1st of August last, and perhaps some time
previous, until the 1st of February, I have not seen
one of these birds ; and now (1st March) they are
abundant. They begin to make their nest about the
1 Oth of February. I now know of several contain-
ing two eggs each, and watched one yesterday for
nearly an hour. Her manner of construction was
very ingenious : bringing a pile of small grass or
lichen, she commenced upon a small twig, about a
quarter of an inch in diameter, immediately below a
large leaf, which entirely covers and conceals the
nest from above, the height from the ground being
about three feet. After the nest had received two
or three of these grasses, she set herself in the centre,
and putting her long slender beak over the outer
edge, seemed to use it and her throat much in the
same way as a mason does his trowel, for the pur-

72 HL'MMIXG-BIRDS.

pose of smoothing, rubbing to and fro, and sweeping
quite round. Each visit to the nest seemed to oc-
cupy only a couple of seconds, and her absence from
it not more than as many minutes. In a few hours
after 1 saw the nest, which had all the appearance of
a finished one. I expect to find an egg there to-
day/'

In conclusion to the history of the economy of
these birds, as far as our present information reaches,
we add their description by a modern poet, a native
of one of their own fair isles.

" Still sparkles here the glory of the west,
Shews his crowned head, and bares his jewelled breast,
In whose bright plumes the richest colours live,
Whose dazzling hues no mimic art can give.
The purple amethyst, the emerald's green,
Contrasted mingle with the ruby's sheen ;
While over all a tissue is put on
Of golden gauze, by fairy fingers spun.
Small as a beetle, as an eagle brave,
In purest ether he delights to lave ;
The sweetest flowers alone descends to woo,
Rifles their sweets, and lives on honey-dew.
So light his kisses, not a leaf is stirred
By the bold, happy, amorous Humming-bird ;
No disarray, no petal rudely moved,
Betravs the flower the collibree has loved."

DESCRIPTIONS

BLUE-BELLIED SAW-BILLED HUMMING-BIRD »,

Trochilus thalassinus — SWAINSOX.
PLATES I. and II.

Trochilus thalassinus, Philosophical Magazine for 1827. —
L'Anai's, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouches.
Supplement, p. 104. pi. ii — Ramphodon anais, Lesson,
Trochilidees, p. 146. pis. Iv. Ivi.and Ivii.

THIS very fine species has been figured in the
beautiful work of Mr Lesson, now completed, from
which we have borrowed so largely for the illustra-
tions of the present volume. That naturalist places
it in his genus Ramphodon, with which it agrees in
the structure of the bill. In other respects, however,
it presents remarkable differences. What we have
considered the type of Lesson's genus has the form
and colouring of the genus Pcethornus, and the un-
der mandible, as in that form, sheaths itself, when
closed, within the upper. The tail is also very much
graduated. In the present species, we have the form
of the wings and tail nearly as in the Mango Hum-

* The Figures in this volume are of the natural size,
except where otherwise mentioned. -f- PI. i. vol. i*

74 BLUE-BELLIED SAW-BILLED HUMMING-BIRD.

m ing-bird, while the scaly feathers of the throat re-
minds us of T. mesalucus, and the rich splendour of
the plumage differs much from the sober browns ot
the Spotted Saw-bill. We make these observations
with every deference to M. Lesson's opinion. They
occurred to us when looking over his illustrations.

The Blue-bellied Saw-bill is a native of Mexico,
where it is accounted rare. It is in total length about
five inches. In the full plumage of the adult, the
general colour is a deep-green, with a golden metallic
lustre. The fore part of the neck is clothed with
thick feathers, changing with the light from an eme-
rald-green with golden reflections, to a blackish- green
and deep velvet-black. The throat, and bordering
the dark centre of the neck, is a mild but rich azure-
blue, which is stretched upon the cheeks, and is lost
in forming auricular tufts of the same colour. The
plumes composing this ornamental part are of a scaly
form. The centre of the belly is of the same rich
colour, forming a large longitudinal patch, which
seems to vary in its size and breadth in different
specimens. The tail has a steel-blue lustre, and is
crossed with a deep indigo band, a short way from
the tip. Our first Plate represents a bird in this
state. In Plate second the rich blue feathers on the
cheeks and belly have not appeared, and the whole
plumage has a greater tinge of steel-blue and purple.
The bill and feet are black.

In a young bird, or more probably the female,
Lesson has represented and described the flanks and

BLUE-BELLIED SAW-BILLED HUMMING-BIRD. J5

vent of a dirty grey, mingled with green ; the under
tail-coverts reddish-white, without any of the rich
hlue patch on the belly. The auriculars appeared
of equal richness, and the upper parts were of the
same steel-blue as in our second plate.

76

GIGANTIC HUMMING-BIRD «.

Trochilus gigas — VIEILLOT.
PLATE III.

Oiseau-mouche geant; Trochilus gigas, Vieillot, Gallerie du
Museum, plate 180 — I/Oiseau-mouche Patagon ; Ornis-
mya tristis, Lesson, Histoire Naturette des Oiseaux-
mouches, p. 43. pi. iii.

AMONG the delicate tribe of birds which we have
been endeavouring to describe, we have seen those
only of splendid plumage, of small size and slender
proportions. That to which we have devoted the
annexed plate, is a remarkable contrast : it is of dull
plumage, and of a strength much greater than any of
the others. It is the largest Humming-bird which
has been yet discovered, and has been accordingly
denominated " Le Patagon," and " Oiseau-mouche
geant."

The length of this bird is nearly eight inches : the
crown, back, the under and lesser wing-coverts,
brownish-green, with reflections of the latter tint ;
the under parts are light reddish, mingled with a
deeper tint, and shaded with greenish on the flanks;

* This figure is considerably reduced.

GIGANTIC HUMMING-BIRD. 77

the feathers are generally darker at the base, and the
paler tips give a slightly waved appearance to the
breast and belly: on the throat, the feathers, though
without lustre, retain the scaly form and texture of
the more brilliant species. The wings slightly ex-
ceed the tail in length, bend up at the tips, and ex-
hibit all the form of the most correctly formed or-
gan of flight ; they are of a uniform brownish -violet.
The tail is composed of ten feathers, of a brown-
ish colour, and with golden-green reflections ; they
gradually decrease in length, making the tail deeply
forked. This is nearly the description of the birds
which have hitherto been described as adult males.
The females and young are represented to differ, by
the feathers on the upper parts and wing-coverts be-
ing each bordered with pale rufous, and by those on
the breast and belly being tipped with white ; the
vent and lower tail-coverts are pure white. In Vieil-
' lot's plate, the quills and tail feathers have each a
spot of white at the extremity.

The first specimen which we saw of this bird was
brought by Lord Byron, from the expedition of the
Blonde to Chili, and it agreed nearly with the fe-
male figured by Vieillot. It is yet a very rare spe-
cies, and few are to be seen in the collections of
Britain. It inhabits the forests in the interior of
Chili • it reaches the country of the Auracanas,
and extends to the base of the Andes. No speci-
mens have yet been brought from Brazil, which was
at first thought to be their abode.

78 GIGANTIC HUMMING-BIRD*

In the arrangement of Lesson, this species is
placed at the commencement, under the title of Les
Patagons. This division contains it as a solitary
species, and he characterizes it by the tail, lengthened,
deeply forked, but seems to lay too much stress on
the dull colouring of the plumage.

3 J

PURPLE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus cosligena — LESSON.
PLATE IV.

La Coeligene •, Ornismya cceligena, Lesson, Trochilidees,
p. 141. pi. liii.

LESSON'S beautiful plate has served us for the il-
lustration of this species, remarkable no less for its
beauty than for its rarity, and the unusual tint which
the plumage assumes. The only specimen which
has come under his observation is one which he re-
ceived from M. Florent Prevost, to whom it was
sent from Mexico.

The general tint of the plumage of this bird is
purple, possessing the changing hues so common in
the family; and above, it varies from a rich violet to
a brilliant and sparkling red, while below, it is tem-
pered in the shade with a chaste and beautiful grey
The whole upper parts are of this rich purplish-red,
but the feathers are banded with a darker and paler
shade, without so much metallic lustre, and the
plumage of the lower part of the back and tail-co-
verts assumes a golden greenish lustre, the only part
of the plumage where this colour, so general, is seen.
On the throat and breast, the feathers are of a deli-

80 PURPLE HUMMING-BIRD.

cate grey, darker in the centres. The vent is nearly
white. The tail is very ample, and is slightly fork-
ed : the feathers are very broad, and, with those of
the wings, take the same peculiar purple tint which
the plumage generally has infused or mixed with it,
overpowering the common colours of the family.

The Purple Humming-bird is a large species,
measuring more than 6ve inches in length, and ha-
ving the proportions relatively strong.

81

STOKE'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Stokesii — KING.

PLATE V.

Trochilus Stokesii, Capt. King, Proceedings of Zoologica*
Society, p. 36 — Le Stokes, Lesson, Trochilidies, p. 135.
pi. 1.

THIS most splendid species was discovered by
Captain King on the island of Juan Fernandez, thus
adding another species to those already known to
inhabit that remote land.

It is perhaps one of the most beautiful of the race,
and combines at the same time great delicacy of
colouring. The length is about four inches and a
half: the crown is clothed with scaly feathers of a
brilliant blue, changing in some lights to violet, and
forming a lengthened and rounded crest behind.
The upper part of the body is a bright emerald-
green ; the shoulders of the same colour: the tail
has the two centre feathers entirely of the same
green, the others pure white on the inner webs,
green on the outer, except the first, which has tlio
basal half of the outer web white also. The cheeks
are of a dark purplish-green, with small round spots
of a pink or violet colour, according to the light in

VOL. vn. F

82 STORE'S HUMMING-BIRD.

which they are seen ; and the under parts are pure
white, except on the throat, which is tinged with green.
All over the white are round ocellated spots, of a
rich golden-green, appearing very dark in some lights,
and everywhere beautifully relieved upon the snowy
white. The wings are of the same colour with its
congeners.

Upon examining Plate XII. of our first volume,
it will be seen that the T. sephanoides and this bird
will rank together, and are indeed the only species
possessing the form and markings peculiar to them.
The feathers on the crown are broad and lengthen-
ed, and form a splendid cowl. In this they some-
what resemble the birds on our next plate, ex-
cept that the cowl is terminated by the feathers de
creasing in breadth, and finally ending in a long point
The tail is very ample, and in both, the lower parts
of the body are spotted — a marking at variance
with the other species, and as yet confined to very •
few. In T. sephanoides, although the marking runs
in spots, the imbricated form is maintained, and the
spots are neither so insulated or decided as in that
now described. The bill affords another character,
being remarkably slender towards the point, and per-
fectly straight ; and the feathers on the forehead ex-
tend quite upon the nostrils.

PLATE 6

TKOfHIMS I, ODD! (', K SI
Native of Brazil.

LODDIGES'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Loddigesii — GOULD.
PLATE VI.

Trochilus Loddigesii, Gould, Proceedings of Zoological So-
ciety— L'Oiseau-mouche de Loddiges, Lesson, Troehili-
dees, p. 138. pi. li.

IN our description of De Lalande's Humming-
bird, Plate X. of Vol. I., we mentioned the disco-
very of a second species of this form, very nearly al-
lied to it. We have now given a representation of
it.

The principal distinctions are the longer bill, the
less size of the white behind the eyes, and the more
lilac tinge of the long and slender crest, which wants
also the white tip. A comparison of the two plates
will, however, best point out the differences. The
present species was first noticed by Mr Gould, and
characterized by him in the proceedings of the Zoo-
logical Society of London, under the above name —
a well merited compliment.

The whole crest is a brilliant blue, with purple
reflections. The upper parts of a golden-green. A
spot of white is placed immediately behind the eye,
and the whole of the under parts are of the same

84 LODDIGES'S HUMMING-BIRD.

pure colour, marked with a longitudinal patch of
deep black along the centre. The tail is steel-blue
for two-thirds of the basal half, the tip is white.

This lovely species is a native of Brazil. We have
no mention of the female being yet discovered.

iflLFS DKI.AI.AXDII in, !
iiivc of t!i •• Km 'ri'aniic.

85

DELALANDE'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Delalandii — VIEILLOI ,
PLATE VII.— FEMALE.

Le Plumet bleu ; Ornismya Delalandii, Lesson, Histoirc
Naturette des Oiseaux-mouches, pi. xxiv.

WE did not think the illustration of this beauti-
ful liule group complete without a representation of
a Female. The whole upper parts are of the gol-
der-green exhibited by the male ; but we lose every
trace of the splendid crest which adorns his crown.
The white spot behind the eye and the deep blue
upon the tail remains. The under parts are of a
rich smoke-grey, of a chaste and pleasing tint.

The Male was represented in our first Volume,
Plate X.

86

EVEN-TAILED AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-
BIRD.

Trcchilus orthura — LESSOY.
PLATE VIII.

1/Amethyste a queue 6gale: Ornismya orthura, Lesson,
Trochilidees, p. 85, pis. xxviii. and xxix.

THERE are three Humming-birds, which, though
not coming in the same group, we shall now introduce
together, from a confusion seeming to have arisen in
the discrimination of the species. They are gene-
rally known under the name of the " Amethysts,"
and Lesson proposes to distinguish them by the titles
" L'Amethyste, Le petit Amethyste ou L'Ametliys-
toide, et L'Amethyste a queue egale." The last,
the subject of our plate, we shall first describe.

The length of this species is about two inches
and a half : the head, neck, back, rump, and upper
tail-coverts, are golden-green ; two narrow lines
of white spring from each corner of the mouth : the
fore-part of the neck, and running upon the breast, is
covered with a patch of scaly feathers, of a rich
amethystine purple, changing to red with the posi-
tion : this patch is surrounded with a broad band of
greyish- white, which extends upwards upon the sides

OUTIH'KA

EVEN-TAILED AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD. 87

of the neck in a crescent form, and this is again bor-
dered with a band of deep brown, assuming a green-
ish tinge as it comes upon the back. The flanks and
lower tail- co verts are deep cinnamon-red, and the
centre of the belly is pure white, exhibiting a very
marked contrast. The tail, in the form of which it
differs so much from the other two, is ample, and
perfectly square : the feathers are of a golden-green
above, black at the ends, except the two on the out-
side, which are tipped with white.

In a young specimen figured by M. Lesson, the
bright patch on the throat is nearly pure white, ha-
ving the centre of the feathers slightly marked with
a greenish tinge. It differs also in the centre of the
belly, and under tail-coverts, being pure white, in-
stead of the rich cinnamon of the adults.

M. Lesson has also figured the beautiful nest of
this species : it is compactly built upon the sprig of
a passion-flower, and is composed of cotton, fortified
on the outside by lichens, and by slender roots.

This species is a native of Cayenne. — The next
we shall mention has been found in the mountainous
provinces of Brazil : it is the

LITTLE AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD.
Trochilus amethystoides. — LE SSON.

I.e petit Amethyste : Ornismya amethystoides, Lesson,
Trochilidees, pis. xxv. xxvi. and xxvii.

THIS species Lesson thinks different from that re-
presented on the following plate, and apparently with
reason. It is scarcely more than two inches and a
half in length : the upper parts are golden-green,
with blue reflections ; the throat and fore part of the
neck are of a rich reddish amethyst colour, whereas in
the T. amethystinus it is of a pure and brilliant vio-
let. A collar of clear grey follows this beautiful
patch, which gradually passes into the shades of the
under parts. The tail is ample, and deeply forked.

In the young assuming the perfect plumage fi-
gured by Lesson, the tail is rather rounded than
forked, and the whole plumage is of a deep and
sombre shade, relieved by the white which occupies
the place of the amethystine patch, by a white cres-
cent on the breast, and a band of the same colour
crossing the rump. In the succeeding plate of the
young, the likeness to the other representations is
scarcely recalled ; the upper parts are of a chaste
reddish-brown, tinged with green on the head, and

LITTLE AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD. 8i)

without any trace of the white band on the rump ;
the tail is rounded at the end, and is dark olive-
brown, the centre feathers having a greater tinge of
green than upon the others, the whole are tipped
with a narrow band of the same colour with the
upper parts. The throat and fore part of the neck
are white, interspersed with the young scaly bright-
ly coloured feathers ; and the belly and vent are
pale reddish-brown, having a slight indication of the
crescent band. In all the young species, the wings
reach to about the middle of the tail ; and it is a cu-
rious circumstance, that, in the adults, it should as-
sume a deeply forked shape, and that the young fea-
thers should appear in the very reverse form. — The
next bird belonging to the " Amethysts," is the

90

AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus amethystinus — LIXX^EUS.
PLATE IX.

Trochilus amethystinus, Linn&us. — Amethystine Hum.
ming-Bird, Latham, General History of Birds, vol. iv.

p. 357. — Oiseau-mouche amethyste, Euffon Lesson,

Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouches, and Supplement*
pis. Ixvii. xx. xxi. xxii.

THIS long known but beautiful species Lesson
has represented on no less tban four Plates, exhibit-
ing different states of plumage, all of which we shall
endeavour to make use of to render the present de-
scription as perfect as possible. The colours of the
adult are simple, the upper parts are of a fine golden
green, the lower grey, and the throat is adorned by
the amethystine patch from whence the name is de-
rived. The colour of the amethyst must be familiar
to most persons, and to say that it resembles it, will
convey the best idea of its beauty. It is surround-
ed on the lower part with a light grey crescent.

In the adult the tail is deeply forked, the outward
feathers being narrow and slender.

In the Plates representing the birds assuming the
adult plumage, those parts which shew the amethys-
tine tints are pure white, ihe feathers in this state

Knrilll.rs . \MKTIIVSTIXA.

X.Uivi- o!'

"' '

- "'( ,ii

1 :TY'

AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD. 9]

exhibiting no appearance of a scaly form, and a few
violet feathers are represented appearing. The plu-
mage is a little duller in shade, and the tail has not
reached the greatest development of the fork ; but
the white band is conspicuous, running over upon
the back.

In the very young state, the tail is like that of
those allied birds just described, rounded, with pale
tips, the colour dark. The upper parts are a pale
golden green. The patch on the throat is pure white,
running into the crescent-shaped band, and the vent
and belly are reddish-brown.

This species is a native of the north parts of Gui-
ana and Brazil, and, though long known, is by no
means common in modern collections. The next
bird we shall mention as allied to this is the

RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus rubineus. — LINK/EUS.

Trochilus rubineus, Linnceus. — L'Oiseau a gorge rouge du
Brazil, Buffon — Ruby- throated Humming-Bird, .LalAam,
General History of Birds, iv. p. 342. — L'Oiseau mouche
rubis, Ornismya rubinea, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des
Oiseaux-mouches, pis. xliv. xlv. and xlvi.

THIS very splendid species has been described
by authors under various names, in the states from
young to adult plumage. We shall endeavour to
point out its marking in the different liveries.

92 RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

The adult male is above four inches in length ; the
whole of the covering of the body, except the throat,
is of a very dark uniform golden green, brightest on
tne front of the breast, and on those parts where the
feathers are scale-formed, on the lower part of the vent
it is tinged with brown. The throat is adorned with a
patch of very splendid ruby colour, assuming golden
reflections ; the wings are brownish purple, inclining
to green on the shoulders, and the tail, which can
scarcely be said to have any fork, is of a bright cin-
namon red, with a narrow band of black at the tip ;
the under coverts are of the same colour.

The female has the upper parts of a lively green,
beneath fine reddish brown, shaded to grey on the
vent, and without any trace whatever of the splendid
patch on the throat ; behind the eye there is a white
spot, and a line of the same colour runs from the
opening of the mouth to the auriculars. The colour
of the tail is not so bright as in the male, and the
centre feathers are tinged with green.

The young of the first year, according to Lesson,
is brown above, with a golden greenish lustre ; be-
neath, dull grey ; the outer tail-feathers reddish, the
next black, tipped with white, and the centre ones
greenish-brown. In the second year it resembles
the female, but there is a slight tinge of ruby colour
on the throat. And in the third year, the brownish
colour of the plumage still remains, but is more
tinged with green, the patch on the throat is defined,
and rich scaly feathers commence in parts to ap-

RUBY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 93

pear, and the tail is red. The young of this species,
according to Lesson, would therefore appear to re-
quire the fourth summer to perfect their plumage,
to attain the full perfection of all their organs.

The Ruby-throated Humming-Bird is a native of
the Brazils. Species brought from that country by
MM. Quoy and Gaimard, decided the before unde-
termined locality of the species.

WEDGE-TAILED AMETHYSTINE HUMMING.
BIRD.

Trochilus montana — LESSON.

L'Amethyste du Mexique, Ornismya montana, Lesson,
Trochilidees, pis. liii. and liv.

THIS bird differs from those arranged under the
title of amethysts, by the form of the tail, which is
strongly wedge-shaped at the tip. It would seem,
as far as we can judge from the representation of
Lesson, to range nearer the Nootka Humming-Bird.

It is a native of Mexico ; its length is about three
inches. The upper parts of the plumage are of a
clear and shining green, and a large patch of bright
amethystine red covers the breast, and is bordered
beneath by a band of pure white ; the belly and vent
are white, dashed with reddish on the flanks. The
tail, of the form we have mentioned, has the centre
feathers of a clear green, the lateral ones brown,

94 WEDGE-TAILED AMETHYSTINE HUMMING-BIRD.

bordered with chestnut, and having a round whitish
spot on the tip of each of the outer ones.

In the young, the throat wants the amethystine
patch, and with the rest of the under parts is nearly
white.

LANGSDORFFS HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Langsdorffii, VIEILLOT.
PLATE X.

Trochilus Langsdorffii, Temminck, Planches Colorizes, 66.
fig. 1. — Le Langsdorff, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Oi-
seaux-mouches, pi. xxvi. Adult ; pi. xvi. Young.

THIS beautiful species was discovered by M.
Langsdorff, Russian Consul at Rio de Janeiro, to
whom it was dedicated by the French ornithologists.
It will also serve to recall, says Lesson, the compa-
nion of Krusenstern, in his voyage round the world.

It is most remarkable for the curious structure of
the tail, and presents almost as great an anomaly in
the form of the feathers, as the half-tailed Humming-
Bird does in the number of them. It forms a com-
plete and deep fork, but the feathers lengthen out
and narrow to a perfect point, the outer one being
almost three inches long. The upper parts are of a
dull golden green of a uniform tint. The fore part
of the breast and throat is covered with a patch of
the same colour, but having beautiful reflections in
different positions, and composed of the same scaly
feathers which almost always occupy this space,

96 LANGSDORFF'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Beneath this is a crescent-formed band of bright
orange, in some lights approaching to crimson, and
which has much the appearance of a similarly co-
loured band frequent in the African Cyniridae.
This is relieved by the deep brownish violet of the
belly, which again contrasts with the pure white of
the vent and under tail-coverts, and completes a
series of five distinct colours on the under surface of
this beautiful little bird. The white of the vent is
continued over the rump in a very narrow band, and
there contrasts beautifully with the deep green.

The tail, we have said, is deeply forked; it con-
sists of ten feathers. The six in the centre are
deep blue, the two on each side, which run to the
fine points, are nearly white.

In the young the tail does not assume a forked or
lengthened appearance ; but, like the birds which have
been figured in the preceding plates, it is of a round-
ed form. The throat is nearly black, but the space
occupied by the brilliant green patch is defined by
a plumage of a greenish white, and little trace of
the lower orange band is seen. The upper parts are
of a duller green, and the tail is deep bluish black,
having the tips of the outer feathers white.

Langsdorffs Humming-Bird is a native of Brazil ;
the female has not yet been described, and I be-
lieve specimens are yet unknown in Europe.

TROCHILUS KI'FIS.

• ;ka Hnmrn ing -Bird.)
N;itiv of Nootka Sound.

RUFF-NECKED OR NOOTKA HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus rufus — GMELIX.
PLATE XI.

Trochilus rufus, Gmelin, edition of Systema Natures of Lin-
nceus. — RuiF-Necked Humming-Bird, Latham, General
History of Birds, vol. iv. p. 350 — Ruff-Necked Honey-
Sucker, Pennant, Arctic Zoology, vol. ii. p. 177 — Selas-
phorus rufus, Nootka Humming-Bird, Swainson, Nor-
thern Zoology, vol. ii. p. 324. — Lesson, Histoire Naturelle
des Oiseaux-mouches, pis. Ixvi and Ixvii, and Supple-
ment, xi. xii. and xiii.

THE discovery of this splendid species is due to
our great navigator Captain Cook, while for its first
description we are indebted to the now venerable or-
nithologist of our present day. It is an inhabitant of
the inhospitable climate of Nootka Sound, but ranges
over a considerable extent, having been received from
Real del Monte by Mr Swainson.

Captain Cook made the following observations,
when mentioning this beautiful species.

" There are also Humming- Birds, which yet seem
to differ from the numerous sorts of this delicate ani-
mal already known, unless they be a mere variety of
the Trochilus colubris of Linnaeus. These, perhaps,
inhabit more to the southward, and spread northward

VOL. VII. G

98 RUFF-NECKED OR NOOTKA HUMMING-BIRD

as the season advances ; because we saw none at
first, though, near the time of our departure, the na-
tives brought them to the ships in great numbers."

The most accurate description we can insert is
that from the Northern Zoology.

" General tint of the upper plumage rufous or cin-
namon, which covers the head, ears, neck, back,
rumps, upper tail, corners, and margins of thfe tail
feathers ; the crown and the wing covers, however,
have a strong coppery greenish gloss, but which does
not extend to the ears, the upper line above the eye,
or to that between the eye and bill ; the greater and
lesser quills, and the middle of the tail feathers, with
these tips, are all of a pale smoky brown, slightly
glossed with violet. Under plumage ; the whole of
the chin and throat is covered with scale-like fea-
thers of a fine looking colour and lustre, equally bril-
liant with the throat of T. moschitus, but with more
of a red and less of an orange gloss ; the tints, how-
ever, change in almost every direction of light, and
in all are exquisitely splendid. The middle of the
breast and vent are nearly pure white, but all the
sides and the under tail covers are of the same co-
lour as the back. Legs and feet dark brown. The
female chiefly differs in being green gold, where the
male is cinnamon ; the throat being merely spotted
with the glowing ruby colour of the male."

According to Dr Latham, " the female is green
gold on the upper parts ; instead of cinnamon on the
throat, are only spots of the Blowing ruby colour

RUFF-NECKED OR NOOTKA HUMMING-BIRD. 99

breast and vent as in the male ; tail coverts green ;
tail as in the other sex ; the two middle feathers or
one colour, the rest with a white spot at the tips."
In a specimen of a young female which Lesson has
figured, the tail is only slightly rounded, having the
outer feathers tipped with white ; the upper parts are
of a greyish green, and the lower part of the plumage
is of a chaste grey, palest on the throat and vent."

Lesson has also given two representations of the
young males. In these the bright scaly feathers of
the throat are appearing, with the generally more vivid
tints of the adult, hut the tail assumes very little of
its wedge-shaped form.

Mr Swainson forms from this bird his genus Se-
lasphorus, which I believe would be before the in-
stitution of Lesson's title of Lophornis for the same
group, and includes all those magnificent species ha-
ving tufts of feathers issuing from the sides of the
neck, of which the Tufted-necked Humming-Bird
was so long the most familiar example ; and also the
Trochilus platycercus, which has been described in
the Philosophical Annals, with a Synopsis of Mexi-
can Birds ; it is characterised as green above, beneath
whitish ; the chin and throat amethystine red, the
tail rounded, with the four centre feathers very
broad.

Vieillot's Humming-Bird will also range here, and
we may now mention, that since the publication of
our First Volume, another figure has been given by-
Lesson, in which the neck tufts are represented at

100 RUFF-NECKED OR NOOTKA HUMMING-BIRD.

much greater length, and of a richer and more bril-
liant green. But of all the birds belonging to this
splendid little group, one which M. Lesson has de-
dicated to Mr Gould of London, is the most ex-
quisitely beautiful. We have represented it on the
next plate.

TKOCII i us c.or i, mi .
Lo calitv I 1 1 k n i ' \v 1 1 .

101

GOULD'S HUMMING-BIRD,

Trochilus Gouldii — LESSON.
.PLATE XII.

L'Oiseau-mouche, Gould. — Ornismya Gouldii, Lesson,
Trochilidees, p. 103, pi. xxxvi.

THE native district of this splendid species is un-
known. In size it is similar to the Tufted Necked
Humming-Bird : the forehead, throat, and upper part
of the breast, are of a most brilliant green, the fea-
thers of a scaly form ; from the crown springs a crest
of bright chestnut feathers, of a lengthened form, and
capable of being raised at pleasure ; the back and
upper parts are golden green, crossed upon the
rump with a whitish band ; the wings and tail are
brownish purple, the latter having the centre fea-
thers tinged with green ; the lower parts are dark
brownish green. The neck tufts are of the most
splendid kind, and have a chaste but brilliant effect ;
they are composed of narrow feathers of a snowy
whiteness, the tips of each having a round ocellated
spot of bright emerald green, surrounded with a
dark border ; the longest are at the upper part of
the tuft, and they decrease in length, assuming the

102 GOULD'S HUMMING-BIRD.

shape of a butterfly's wing ; shorter feathers again
spring from the base, and their green tips are re-
lieved on the white of the longer ones behind them.
There are specimens of this splendid species in the
collection of Mr Loddiges.

PLATE 13.

Tiionui.rs TI< i

103

TRI-COLOURED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus tricolor — LESSON.
PLATE XIII.

Le Tricolore, Ornismya tricolor, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle
des Qiseaux-moucheS) pi. xiv., and Trochilidees, pi. Ix.

THIS species, also of great beauty, seems to be
first described and figured by Lesson. It is about
three inches in length. It appears to belong to that
group where the throat is covered with feathers of a
large size, and which can be expanded at the will of
the bird. The bill is very slender, and is slightly
curved. All the upper parts are of a brilliant golden
green, tinged with brown on the forehead ; the
breast, belly, and under tail-coverts white, shading
into green upon the flanks, and the throat and
fore part of the neck is covered with rather large
rounded scaly feathers of a brilliant carmine red,
beautifully relieved by the white of the breast, and
when expanded forming a ruff or collar. The tail is
nearly equal at the end, but the feathers become
narrow towards the tips, almost acuminated, which
serves to distinguish it from those other species
which have the throats adorned with an amethyst
coloured patch. The centre feathers are tinged with

104 TRI-COLOURED HUMMING-BIRD.

green, the others are of a deep steel-blue, having the
inner webs bordered with chestnut-red. Two beau-
tiful figures of this bird are given by Lesson, the
one said to be from Mexico, the other from the
Brazils.

Another lovely bird having a singular distribution
of the plumes upon the neck, will be seen on our
next Plate. The form of the tail, however, is very
different, and the bill is distinctly curved from the.
base.

BLUE-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus lucifer — SWAINSON.

PLATE XIV.

Cynanthus lucifer, Swainson, Synopsis of Mexican Birds.
— L'Oiseau-mouche barbe blue, Oraismya cyanopogon,
Lesson^ Histoire Naturelle des Qiseaux-mouches, p. 50,
pi. v.

THIS lovely species seems to have been first no-
ticed and described by Mr Swainson ; consequently
we have given his name at the head of this descrip-
tion, in preference to that of Lesson, which is en-
graved upon the Plate. The first specimens seem
to have formed part of the collection of the Duke Ri-
voli in Paris, and several individuals have since been
brought to this country. It is a native of Mexico.
It is a bird of a very slender form ; the upper parts
are bright yellowish green, the under nearly pure
white, tinged with greenish on the flanks, and the
throat and fore part of the neck are covered with
beautiful lengthened plumes of a bluish violet colour,
assuming a pink or ultramarine tint according to the
position. The tail is deeply forked, and the outer
feathers become narrow towards the tips. The fe-
male has not yet been described.

106 BLUE-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

From some allied species Mr Swainson has form-
ed his group Cynanthus, but places this at the end
as an abberrant species, from the curvature of the
bill. This will stand as one of the five great divi-
sions into which he would distribute the whole of
the Trochilidese.

107

VIOLET-TUFTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus petasophorus — NEUWIED.
PLATE XV — FEMALE.

Oiseau-mouchep£tasophore, female, Lesson, Trochilidees,
pi. lix.

IN the description of the adult male of this beau-
tiful species, plate xiii. of our first volume, we stated
that the female was not well known. Lesson has
since published a figure of that sex, also received from
Brazil. The upper parts of the plumage are en-
tirely of a very clear green, which on the throat,
neck, and breast increases in brilliancy. The belly,
vent, and under tail-coverts are pure white. A
stripe of the same colour runs from the corner of the
mouth, below the eye, nearly to the ears, and alone
disturbs the uniformity of the colouring above. The
tail is rounded, uniformly green above, paler beneath,
and crossed with a bar of steel blue ; the outer fea-
thers are tipped with white.

The plumage of the young is also very similar;
[i but the green of the breast and throat is not so bril-
I liant, and the belly and vent are grey. The white
* stripe from the opening of the mouth on the cheeks

108 VIOLET-TUFTED HUMMING-BIRD.

is conspicuous, and the neck-tufts are marked by a
slightly brighter hue.

By Lesson this species is arranged in the second
section of his " IV. Race, les Ramphodons," with
the species figured on our first and second plates.
Both have the edges of the mandibles serrated, but
differ very much in form and plumage from the type
of the genus.

109
f(U> ITY

WAGLER'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Waglerii. — LESSON.
PLATE XVI.

Le Wagler, Ornismya Waglerii, Lesson., Histoire Naturelle
des Oiseaux-mouches, p. 203, pi. Ixxiii.

THIS beautiful species has been considered by
some to be the male of T. sapphirinus ; but we have
followed the authority of Lesson, who has devoted
so much time to the study of this family, in suppos-
ing it to be distinct. It is about four inches in
ength. The whole plumage is of a deep and dull
emerald green, appearing very dark in those parts
subjected to shade, but with very brilliant blue and
golden reflections on the parts catching the light.
The tail is slightly forked, and, with the wings, is
tinged with dull blue, the latter appearing almost of
that colour, and varying from the purple shade which
is the general tint of the quills in almost all the spe-
cies. The native country of Wagler's Humming-
Bird is Brazil.

In this place it will be proper to introduce one or
two species, which are in many respects near allies.
The first we shall mention is the

110

SAPPHIRE AND EMERALD HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus bicolor. — GMELIN.

Trochilus bicolor, Gmelin^dition of Linnaus — Sapphire
and Emerald Hummingbird, Latham, General History,
iv. p. 329 — Le Sapphire emeraude, Lesson, Histoire Na-
turelle des Oiseaux-mouches, p. 161, Pis. xlix and 1.

THIS species is distinguished at once from that
figured on the last plate, by the rich green of the
whole body, except the throat, breast and tail. In the
above mentioned bird these parts are tinged with a
much greater shade of blue, and seem in some lights
to be almost of that colour ; the crown is of a very
deep tint, and appears much darker than the rest
of the body ; the throat and breast gradually shading
into the belly, are very rich blue, with metallic lustre ;
the tail is deep steel-blue above and below, and ap-
pears scarcely so much forked as in the preceding
bird; the bill has the upper mandible black, the
lower yellowish white, except at the tip, which is
brown. The female resembles the male, except on
the under parts ; the beautiful blue of the throat
and breast is nearly pure white, and, as it reaches the
belly and vent, becomes mixed with green. The
young birds differ by the blue throat being very dull,
by the vent and flanks being of a greenish black, and
by the whole plumage wanting in brilliancy.

It is a native of French Guiana, and Latham men-
tions it from the island of Guadaloupe.

Ill

THE OURISSIA.
Trochilus Maugerii. — LESSON.

Trochilus Maugerii, Vieittot T. Ourissia ? Linn&us Mei-

lisuga Surinamensis, Edwards. — Oiseau-mouche Mauge,
Lesson, Histoire Naturelle jks Oiseaux-mouches, pis.
Ixviii. and Ixix.

There is considerable difficulty in the unravelling
of the synonyms and opinions regarding this species,
and it is most probable that the name applied by
Vieillot, and latterly by Lesson, must be supplanted
by that of Ourissia.

We give the description of the bird, figured under
the first title. It is about three inches and a half in
length ; the bill black, with the base of the under
mandible yellow ; the upper parts are dull green, but
with very brilliant reflections, approaching sometimes
to blue, and the same colour occupies the fore part
of the breast ; on the throat and belly the green is
more brilliant ; the vent and under tail coverts are
, greyish ; the tail is deeply forked, of a steel blue, and
it may be remarked, that this will be the character
| which will distinguish it from those it has been con-
founded with.

The female, according to Lesson, is less, and with

the colours duller ; the lower parts grey ; the tail
lightly forked ; the centre feathers green, the others
)ro\vn, tinged with blue, and the two centre ones
j;ipped with white. The specimens which Lesson
lescribes were sent from Porto Rico.

The next species is

112

THE BLUE-FRONTED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus glaucopis. — GMELIN.

Trochilus glaucopis, Gmeli^ edition ofLinnaus — The Blue
Fronted Humming- BiroV Trochilus frontalis, Latham,
General History, vol. iv. p. 352 — Oiseau-mouche glau-
cope, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouches,
p. 175, Pis. Iviii-lix.

The forehead of this species is of a rich metallic
blue, with violet reflections ; the upper parts of the
body are of a rather dull green, hut which, accord-
ing to Dr Latham, is darker in some specimens, and
in others nearly of the same tint with the lower
parts. The lower parts are bright emerald green, with
the feathers on the throat and breast in the form of
scales ; the vent and under tail coverts are greyish
' white ; the tail is deeply forked, the feathers com-
posing it broad, but graduated at the tips; the colour
is an intense steel blue*

The only discrepancy between the description of
Lesson, who has figured both sexes, and that of Dr
Latham, is, that the latter describes the legs fea-
thered to the toes, the former has drawn them un-
plumed.

The female wants the blue upon the crown, which
is of the same uniform green with the upper parts ;
the throat, breast, and belly, are of a dull grey,
dashed with green on the flanks, and the tail is
greenish above, with a blue tip.

AUDEBERT'S HUMMING-BIRD. . 113

The young of the first year have the head brown,
the under parts of a clear grey, covered with a collar
of golden green upon the higher part of the breast.
This species inhabits Brazil.

AUDEBERT'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus coervleus — AUDEBERT.

Trochilus c&T\ileu$,Audebert, Olseaux dortes, pi. 40 — I/Oi-
seau-mouche Audebert, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des
Oiseaux-moucheS) 164. pi. li.

THIS species, to which Lesson has applied the
title of Audebertii, though described by that natu-
ralist under another name, is closely allied to T. bi-
color, and is introduced by Buffon as a variety of it.
The upper parts are of a dull green, the lower parts,
except the throat and vent, bright emerald green ;
the throat is a rich sapphirine blue, and the vent aud
under tail -co verts are white. The form of the tail
differs from that of the T, bicolor, being completely
rounded at the tip ; above and below it is of a deep
and dull blue. It is a native of Guiana.

There are yet two birds to be introduced here,
which, as far as we can judge without an examina-
tion of specimens, are much allied to those just de-
. scribed, and of which Plate xvi. will give some idea
of the form. They both appear to have been unfi-
gured before the beautiful work of Lesson gave us

VOL. VII. u

114

SWAINSON S HUMMING-BIRD.

a knowledge of them. The first that naturalist has
described under the title of

SWAINSON'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Swainsonii — LESSON.

Le Swainson, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Oisseaux-
mouches, pi. 70.

BEFORE describing this bird, we may remark that
Lesson has also applied the name of this distinguished
British ornithologist to another Humming-Bird, and
the only reason that we can see for retaining it to
both is, that the other, represented on our thirtieth
Plate, will belong to a separate group of this large fa-
mily, that of which T. hirsutus forms the type, and
which has been characterised by Swainson under
the name of Pcethornus, and by Boie under that of
Glands.

It is rather a large species, being above four inches
in length ; the upper parts are of a uniform golden
green tint, while the throat and fore part of the neck
are clothed with feathers of the most brilliant emerald
green, and which shade into a duller tint upon the
flanks ; on the middle of the breast there is a patch
of velvety black ; the vent plumes are whitish. The
tail is deeply forked, and of a dull indigo blue.

This species is described by Lesson from a single
specimen in the Parisian gallery. It was received
from Brazil. The other bird we alluded to may be
termed the

CRIMSON-HUMPED HUMMING-BIRD. 115

CRIMSON-HUMPED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus erythronotus. — LESSON.

L'Erythronote, Ornismya erythronotos, Lesson, Histoire
Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouches, p. 181. pi. Ixi.

THIS bird, Lesson observes, may prove to be the
young of the last. But although the form is very
similar, the colour seems so distinct, that it is unlike
what is seen in the others which vary from the young
to the adult plumage. In length it is little above
three inches. The head, back of the neck, and en-
tire under parts, are of an emerald green, which,
though dull, shews changes of tint with the position.
On the under side the colour is quite uniform, and
without any black patch. The lower part of the
back, rump, and the wing- coverts, are of a rich crim-
son, with golden reflections. The tail is deeply fork-
ed, and is of an indigo-blue colour on both surfaces.
It is a native of Brazil.

NEUWIED'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus cyanogenys — NEUWIED.

I/Oiseau-mouche Wied, Trochilus Wiedii, Lesson,
Supplement, pi. xxvi.

THIS is closely allied to the preceding, but is con-
siderably smaller. The upper plumage is of a bril-
liant and shining sapphirine-green, with yellowish

116

THE ATALA.

reflections. The lower parts are of a clearer or
more emerald tinge, and are shaded into pure white
at the vent. The throat and auriculars are of a
brilliant sapphirine-blue. The tail is rounded at the
end, and is of a very deep steel-blue, with green re-
flections above. It was discovered by Prince Newied,
in Brazil.

THE ATALA.

Trochilus Atala — LESSON.
LxAtala, Ornismya Atala, Lesson, Trochilidees, pi. xlii.

THIS species is also very closely allied to several
of those preceding. It is two inches and a-half in
length, and is above and below of a clear emerald-
green, without any blue on the throat. The vent
and tail-coverts are pure white. The tail, which is
square, is of a steel-blue, deep and bright. It is a
native of Brazil.

117

WHITE-STRIPED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus mesoleucus. — TEMMINCK.
PLATE XVII.

Ouseau-mouche mediastin, Trochilus mesoleucus, Tern-
minck, Planches Coloriees, 317. Male, Female, and
Young. . — Lesson. Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-
mouches, and Trochilidees^ pi. xxix. xxx. and xlv.

THIS curiously marked species was first described
by M. Temminck, and figured in the Planches Co-
loriees. It is of considerable size and strength, and
is remarkable for the narrow stripe of white which
runs from the throat along the centre of the belly.
The length is about four inches and a half, the bill
perfectly straight and proportionally long ; the plumes
on the head are of a rich glaucous blue, arid of the form
of scales, the auriculars are brown, bordered below
with a narrow line of white ; the whole throat and
neck is covered with scaly feathers of a rich ame-
thystine tint, which lengthen upon each side, and
stretch upon the neck in narrow points. From the
centre of this patch is a pure white narrow line, which
reaches to the tail-coverts of the same colour. The
sides, as well as the back, are of a dull golden green,
assuming a brighter tint on the upper parts. The

118 WHITE-STRIPED HUMMING-BIRD.

tail is very ample and slightly forked ; it has a brown-
ish green lustre, and the two outer feathers are mark-
ed with a round white spot at the tips.

The female has nearly the same plumage as the
male, except on the throat ; the part occupied by the
beautiful patch is a greyish-white, and the base of
the feathers is marked with a darker tint ; from this
the middle line of white, equally conspicuous as in
the other sex, descends to the tail.

In the young the tints are generally duller, and a
few straggling crimson feathers are generally observ-
able on the throats of the males. The species is a
native of Brazil.

Another bird, allied in form and colouring to this,
and figured by Temminck, is the

SCALY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus squamosus — TEMMINCK.

Oiseau-mouche ecailld, Trochilus squamosus, Temminck,

Planches Coloriees, pi. 205 Oiseau-mouche, Temminck.

— Ornismya Temminckii, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des
Oisseaux-moucheS) pi. x-x. Male.

To this bird* Lesson has given the name of M.
Temminck, its first describer, but as usual we have
retained the name which that gentleman originally
gave. It has exactly the same form with the last
we have described, and the markings are all so simi-

SCALY-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

lar, that the same species might almost be made by a
change of colour on the same engraving. The colour
of the body is of a rich green. The throat, where
the amethystine patch of the former is placed, is a
pure white, but the base of each feather is distinctly
marked with a deep shade of grey, which gives a
scaly appearance to that part, and from whence Tem-
minck has taken the character for his name ; a white
line is continued along the centre of the lower parts,
and joins the tail-coverts of the same colour. It*
native country is also Brazil.

WHITE-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus albicollis — VIEILLOT.

Oiseau-mouche a gorge blanche ; Trochilus albicollis, Tem-
minck, Planches Coloriees, 203 — Lesson, Histoire Natu-
relle des Oiseaux-mouches, pi. Ixiii.

ANOTHER species, also corresponding in form
with the last. There is, however, a considerable
difference in Lesson and Temminck's representa-
tion of the same bird, the first making the white
patch appear in the middle of the breast, the lat-
ter placing it where the scaly feathers are in the
preceding. The rest of the plumage is of a bright
green, except the centre of the belly, and under
tail-coverts, which have the same mesial line with
the others. The tail is scarcely so much forked as
in the last ; the two centre feathers are entirely

120 SUPERB HUMMING-BIRD.

brownish-green, the others dull blue, with white tips.
It inhabits Brazil.

There is yet a fourth species, which will most na-
turally be introduced here, though it differs in the
form of the tail : it is the

SUPERB HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus superlus — SHAW.

Superb Humming-bird ; Trochilus superbus, Shaw, Natu-
ralist's Miscellany, vol. xii. pi. 517 Zoology, vol. viii.

p. 323. — Oiseau-mouche superbe, Temminck, Planches
Coloriees,299 — Oiseau-mouche Corinne, Lesson, Histoire
Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouches, pi. ii.

THIS splendid species was first noticed and de-
scribed by Dr Shaw : afterwards it was figured by
Temminck ; and again it is represented by Lesson,
who has applied to it the name of " Corinne," for
what reason he does not explain. The description
of its discoverer is as follows : " It is unquestion-
ably one of the finest of this brilliant race. Its
length is about four inches and a quarter ; the bill
being long in proportion to the bird, straight and
black: the crown of the head bright sky- blue; from
the bill to the head, on each side, a moderately broad
black stripe, and beneath this a white stripe : throat
and upper part of the breast of a most brilliant scar-
let, the feathers full, or somewhat projecting; re-
mainder of the body, both above and below, golden-

SUPERB HUMMING-BIRD. 121

green, but paler or greyer beneath : wings purplish-
brown ; tail of the same, but the outsides of the fea-
thers golden-green, appearing of that colour when
closed ; each of the two outside feathers tipped with
white."

The modern plates agree with this description,
except that there is no trace of the black line be-
neath the blue of the head. But Temminck says
that the females only are distinguished by this mark.
The tail is very strongly wedge-shaped, instead of
the form assumed by the three we have just now
described. This species is a native of the Antilles
—the island of Trinite.

122

DUKE OF RIVOLPS HUMMING- BIRD.

Trochilus Rivolii — LESSON.
PLATE XVIII.

L'Oiseau-mouche Rivoli ; Ornismya Rivolii, Lesson, His.
toire Naturette des Oiseaux-mouches^ pi. iv.

THIS very splendid Humming-Bird maybe placed
next to the last we have described, by the straight
form of the bill ; but the form of the tail is again dif-
ferent, in being very ample, and square at the end.
M. Lesson considers it undescribed, and has dedi-
cated it to the Duke of Rivoli, in whose collec-
tion the specimen which served for his copy was pro-
cured.

It is in length about four inches, of which the bill
is an inch. The head is crowned with a beautiful
cowl of rich violet-blue : the upper parts, breast,
belly, and vent, are of a deep golden-green, assum-
ing a very dark shade in some positions ; this occu-
pies the space wherein the eye is situated, in the
form of a narrow line to the rictus, and separates
the rich blue of the cowl from a splendid emerald-
green gorget, which occupies the throat and all the
fore part of the neck, resting upon the side in a

DUKE OF RIVOLl's HUMMING-BIRD. 123

rounded point. The lower tail-coverts are nearly
white. The tail is nearly of the same colour with
the upper parts, the outer feathers with a greater
proportion of brownish gold colour.
This species is a native of Mexico.

124

BUFFON'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Buffonii — LESSON.

PLATE XIX.

Le Colibri Buffon, Trochilus Buffonii, Lesson^ Trochiti.
dees, pi. v.

THIS is a large species, being more than five
inches in length. The head is of a golden-green :
the neck, back, and shoulders of the same colour,
which changes to a reddish tint on the upper tail-
coverts. The neck, throat, and upper part of the
breast are covered with scaly formed feathers of an
emerald-green, very brilliant : the rest of the under
parts are of the same colour, but of a more subdued
tint and having a bluish shade in some lights, Awhile
the uniform colour is relieved by each feather being
edged with pale grey- The vent and flanks have a
shade of brown intermixed, and the lower tail-co-
verts are pure white. The tail is slightly forked,
and is of a uniform steel-blue.

The species from which M. Lesson took his figure,
and the only one we are aware of, was supposed
to come from Brazil. That naturalist places this
bird at the head of his " vui. Race, Les Colihria

BUFFON S HUMMING-BIRD. 125

de Bufifon." and includes with them the T. hirsutiis
and its allies. The form seems, however, very dif-
ferent ; and we have retained the birds which are
most allied, with the descriptions on our last two
plates, on which the types are represented.

126

MANGO HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus mango — LINN^US.
PLATE XX.

frochilus mango, Linnceus — Mango Humming-Bird, La-
tham, General History, iv. p. 310 — Shawls Zoology, viii.
294 — Plastron noir Buffon ; Le Colibri a plastron noir,
Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Colibris, pi. xiii. bis, xiv.
xv.

THIS very common species has been the subject
of many descriptions, under different names, from
the difference in the appearance of the adult and
young. The list of synonyms might be made very
long ; but those we have given are sufficient to dis-
tinguish the adults.

The length is about four inches and a quarter:
the upper parts, flanks, and under tail-coverts, are
bright golden-green, having on the forehead and crown
brilliant and distinct reflections with the light. From
the chin to the vent there is a stripe of deep velvet-
black, which is shaded into the sides with a bril-
liant steel-blue : the flank above the insertion of the
thighs is barred with a narrow band of white. The
tail, of which the feathers are very broad, is rounded
at the tip : the centre feathers above are of a bright

MANGO HUMMING-BIRD. 127

golden-green, with violet reflections ; the others, and
all beneath, violet or purple, according to the light,
and tipped and edged with a shade much deeper.

The young, I believe, will stand as the T. mar-
garitaceus, gularis, and maculatus. In this state,
the upper plumage is paler, with a more golden or
browner lustre, the under parts pure white, shaded
with green on the flanks, and having an irregular
blackish-brown line from the chin below the centre
of the belly. The tail is of rich and pale violet
on both sides, except the upper surface of the centre
feathers, which are of the same colour with the back ;
and in the very young states, the outer feathers are
tipped with white.

This seems a very common species in all the
West India Islands, and is also a hardy bird. We
have alluded to its being brought alive to this country,
at p. 61. of the first volume. On Plates XXXII. and
XXXIII. of the same volume we also represented a
species allied to this, and which, with a few others
which we shall immediately mention, form a very
natural group, both in form and in disposition of co-
lours. From this Lesson makes his " vi. Race, Les
Caraibes," and Boie his genus Anthracothorax.
Trochilus mango and T. gramineus will be typical
of it. Tbe next we may mention is the

128

GREEN HUMMING-BIRD.
Trochilus viridis. — AUDEBERT & VIEILLOT.

Trochilus viridis, Audebert, Oiseaux dorees Colibri cya-

nure, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Colibris, pi. xi.

THIS species, more sombre-looking than usual, is
about four inches and a half in length. The whole
plumage of the body is of an emerald-green, with-
out much reflection, except upon the upper tail-co-
verts, and the tint is nearly of one shade on every part:
the tail, which is of the same form with the two pre-
ceding, is entirely of a steel-blue, having the outer
edge of the last feathers relieved with a narrow
fringe of white. The only specimen with which M.
Lesson is acquainted came from Porto Rico.

129

GREEN BLACK-BELLIED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus holosericeus. — LINNAEUS.

Trochilus holosericeus, Linnaus — Green Black-bellied
Humming-Bird. Edwards Birds, pi. 36 Latham's Ge-
neral History, iv. p. 313 Colibri vert et noir, Buffbn —

Le Caraibe, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-
mouches, pi. xx.

• THIS species is in length about four inches and a
half. The upper parts are of a bright golden -green :
on the throat there is a patch of scaly feathers of an
emerald-green, and immediately below a band of
rich metallic blue, varying in size. The rest of the
lower parts, except the tail-coverts, are of a deep
blue, or brownish-black: the tail-coverts are white.
The tail is entirely of a deep steel-blue, in some
lights appearing nearly dull black.

The female, says Lesson, " according to Brisson,
resembles the male." It is probable, however, that
this sex has not yet been distinguished. Dr Latham
gives Mexico and Guiana for the habitation of this
bird ; while Lesson thinks that it is confined to the
Antilles alone. It may be worth attention, as two
species may be included in those from the different
countries.

VOL. VII.

]30 WHITE-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

The next bird begins to assume more of the plum-
age of T. hirsutus : it is the

WH1TE-T AILED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus leucurus — LINNAEUS.

Trochilus leucurus, Linnceus — Colibri a collier rouge, Euf.
fon. — White-tailed Humming- Bird, Latham, General His-
tory, iv. 308. — Edwards, pi. cclvi — Le colibri ruficol, pi.

xxii.

THIS species is nearly similar to the preceding
birds in size, but it is of a narrower or more slender
make. The upper parts are of a golden-green ; a
stripe of reddish-brown passes from the eye above
the auriculars, and another line of white from the
rictus below them. The chin is blackish-grey, and
immediately succeeding is a patch or collar of chest-
nut-red, without reflections ; from thence the green
of the upper parts spreads itself upon the breast, in
the form of a broad band. The belly and vent are
of a reddish-grey ; the under tail-coverts green, bor-
dered with a fringe of white. The centre tail-fea-
thers are golden green, those on the outside greyish-
white, each diagonally tipped with black. The plu-
mage of the female and young do not seem to be
known. It inhabits Dutch Guiana, and has been
brought from Surinam. The next very splendid spe-
cies which we have to introduce, though agreeing in

AURULENT HUMMING-BIRD. 131

the general distribution of colour, has the tail consi-
derably forked ; it is the

AURULENT HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus aurulentus — LATHAM.

Aurulent Humming-Bird, Trochilus aurulentus, Latham,
General History, iv. p. 307 — Le Hausse col dore, Lesson,
Histoire Naturelle des Colibris, pis. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix.

LESSON has devoted no less than four plates to
this splendid species, which we have said differs
from the others placed in this group, by the forked
tail. This form of the tail, however, is peculiar
to the males, that of the young and females being
in accordance with the characters of the others.
It is a curious fact, that, in a great many species,
the tail, which assumes such a variety of form, de-
viates in the males only in those species which,
though in other respects they would be named
" aberrant," Gould not be with propriety separated.

The upper parts of this bird are of a golden-green,
which extends to the flanks and lower tail coverts.
The gorget or throat-patch is of a brilliant golden-
yellow, reflected with green. It occupies the whole
fore part of the neck, and upper part of the breast.
The breast and belly, in a line with the insertion of
the thighs, is deep bluish-black, following which, and
between the tail-coverts, there is a band of white.
The tail has the centre feathers green on the upper

132 AURULENT HUMMING-BIRD.

surface; the others rich pinkish-violet, with the tips
and edges nearly black. The length is about four
inches and a-half.

The female, which, though less brilliant, is no less
chastely beautiful, is above of a golden-green ; the
whole under parts of a pleasing grey. The tail,
which assumes the usual form, has the two centre
feathers green, the others rich chestnut at the base,
each feather having next a diagonal broad band of deep
steel-blue, and at the extremity tipped with pure
white ; an assemblage of colour very marked, and
contrasting with the otherwise unobtrusive plumage.

The young male has the gorget and lower parts
greyish- white, with the black appearing in the centre
of the belly. The tail is of the usual form, but has
the base, except of the centre feathers, chestnut-
brown, with a band of black shading into it, and is
tipped with white. The young females are like the
adults, except in having the tail of a uniform steel-
blue, with white tips. The description of the three
last are given upon the authority of Lesson. Por-
to Rico and the Antilles seem to be the most general
stations whence this species is received.

We have one other bird to mention in this place,
which, though certainly distinct from any of those now
described, is yet known only in its young state. Les-
son has figured it under the name of T. Prevostii,
young, referring, in his Synonyms, to the T. hypo-
phceus of Latham. It has the same assemblage of
colours, and form of body, wings, and tail, but the

BROWN-CROWNED HUMMING-BIRD. 133

bill is straight, and comparatively short. We give
the description with the intention of calling attention
to the species.

BROWN-CROWNED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus hypophceus — LATHAM.

The Brown-crowned Humming- Bird, Latham, General His-
tory, iv. p. 331 — Colibri de Prevost jeune, Trochilus Pre-
vostii, Lesson, Histoire Naturelle des Colibris, pi. xxiv.

THE length is from three to four inches. The
head and space around the eyes is clear yellowish-
brown. The upper parts are brownish-green ; the
lower grey, shading into white, where they join the
green of the upper. The centre of the throat is
marked with a longitudinal patch of deep-black.
The under tail-coverts are green, tipped with white.
The tail is rounded, and, except the centre feathers,
is of a deep blackibh-brown, and at the tips white.
Lesson did not know whence the species he copied
was brought. Those described by Dr Latham were
received from Tobago.

134

BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus polytmus LINNAEUS.

PLATE XXI.

Long-tailed Black-capped Humming-Bird, Edwards, pi.
xxxiv — Black-capped Humming-Bird, Latham, General
History, iv. p. 29G — L'Oiseau-mouche a tete noire, Or-
nismya cephalatra, Lesson, Hisioire Naturelle des Oiseau.v-
mouches, pi. xvii.

IN" the four birds figured upon the next Plates, we
see a very remarkable development of tail, in three
instances confined chiefly to the lateral feathers, in
the other, to those of the centre. The three first
remind us strongly of the forms assumed in the
Dronpro Shrikes, and many of the Muscicapidse.

The Black capped Humming-bird is in length nine
inches, of which the long feathers in the tail are alone
six. The bill is of a fine straw- yellow black at the
tip ; the feet and legs are of the same colour. The
feathers forming the black part of the head are of a
loose and silky texture, considerably lengthened, and
make a deep black crest. The upper parts, breast
and belly, are of a rich golden-green, and the gorget
of scaly feathers covering the whole of the throat
and foreparts of the neck, is of the most brilliant
emerald green. The colour of the wings are a dark

BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING-BIRD. 135

brownish-black. The tail is forked, and the eight
centre feathers gradually decrease in length ; the ex-
terior shoots far beyond them into two narrow plumes,
pliable from their weight. It is of a brownish-black
colour, with green reflections.

The female, says Dr Latham, " is of the same
size, with the bill the same, the base of the under
mandible white half way ; crown dusky brown ; up-
per parts of the plumage as in the male ; beneath,
from chin to vent, white ; on the sides of the neck
the green and white are intermixed irregularly ; tail
green, without the long feathers, and the tips of all,
except the two middle, white for almost half the
'ength."

It is a native principally of the island of Jamaica ;
but Dr Latham also mentions having specimens from
Guiana.

136

ROUGH-LEGGED RACKET-TAILED HUMMING-
BIRD.

Trochiltis Underwoodii — LESSON.
PLATE XXII.

L;i Raquette empennee, Trochilus Underwoodii, Lesson,
Trochilidees, pi. xxxii.

IN the bird now represented, and another species,
we see the fork of the tail assuming another varia-
tion, in the diminution and again widening of the
web, so as to leave a part of the shaft bare of plumes.
The present species is, besides, very remarkable for
the feathering of its tarsi and base of the toes, which
are thickly covered with narrow horny-tike plumes,
and I believe is the only instance of that structure
among this tribe. All the upper parts are of a golden
green, the rump barred with a band of white. A
gorget of bright emerald-green, occupies the throat,
forepart of the neck, and almost the whole breast,
which is immediately succeeded by a deep tint of
brownish green. The thighs and plumed tarsi are
pure white. The tail, deeply forked, is a blackish-
brovvn, the centre feathers tinged with green. The
form will be best understood by referring to the ac-
companying plate. The country of this species is
unknown.

RACKET-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD. 137

The only other species whose tail takes a similar
form is the

RACKET-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD.

TrocMlus platurus LATHAM.

Racket-Tailed Humming-Bird, Latham, General History,
iv., p. 338 — Oiseau-mouche a raquettes, Lesson, Hi&toire
Naturelle des Oiseaux-mouche, p. xl.

THIS bird at first- sight has nearly the resemblance
of the last, but is at once distinguished from it by
the unplumed tarsi. It is of a duller green above,
and is of a uniform tint. The gorget is of the same
bright emerald green, and occupies nearly a similar
place, covering the whole of the fore part of the
throat and neck. The belly is of a dull brown,
tinged with green, and the vent and under-tail co-
verts are nearly pure white. The tail above, green-
ish brown, beneath of reddish or yellowish white.
The feathers, excepting the two outer ones, are
pointed, and assume a slightly forked form. The
two on the outside exceed the others by about half
their own length, and the shafts commence to be en-
tirely bare where they exceed the length of the others,
and are finished by a nearly round tip of black plume
in the form of a racket-board.

The plumage of the female is not very well known.
Guiana is the only country whence they have been
Deceived.

BAR-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD. 139

pearance is as if regularly barred with black. The
upper parts of the plumage are of a golden green,
except the rump, which is of a fine madder tint, but
without any metallic lustre. The feathers upon this
part are more tufted, and thicker than usual. The
whole of the under surface, as far as the upper part
of the belly, is of a bright emerald green, brightest
on the fore part of the throat. The lower belly is dull
brownish green, the vent whitish.

Lesson has represented another state of this bird,
which he thinks is that of the female. All the upper
parts are of a uniform green. The throat and breast,
instead of the emerald-coloured scaly gorget, are of a
dull yellowish grey, which colour occupies also the
rest of the under parts. The tail is about only half
the length, the feathers of the same broad form ;
the outer one of a yellowish, the others of a reddish
coppery lustre, with a slight indication of a darker
shade at the tips, but without any distinct bar.

There seems a little uncertainty regarding the na-
tive country of this bird. Shaw's specimens were
said to come from Peru ; and Lesson mentions the
interior of Brazil for those from which he took his
drawings and descriptions. The figure of this bird
is reduced one-half.

In this place we must mention another very beau-
tiful species, figured and described by M. Lesson,
possessing the same form, and in proportion, a de-
velopment of tail nearly equal to it ; it is the

140

NUNA HUMMING-BIRD.
Trochilus Nuna — LESSON.

La Nouna-Koali, Ornismya Nuna, Lesson, Histoire Xatur-
elle des Oiseaux-mouches, Supplement, pi. xxxv.

IT is about five inches in length, of which the tail
makes up three. The upper parts of the plumage
are of a brilliant emerald-green, with golden reflec-
tions. The under parts are pure white ; but each
feather has at its tip a circular spot or eye, of a deep
emerald-green, which forms a fine contrast. On the
throat and breast, these are well arid distinctly marked,
but towards the vent they become less defined. The
under coverts of the tail are bright chestnut. The
tail itself has the feathers very broad, and they gra-
dually increase in length like those of the bar-tailed
species. The base of all the middle ones are brown-
ish purple. The lower part of the exposed portion
on the upper side is of a deep steel-blue, changing
to a bright and beautiful green towards the tip. The
outer feathers have the exposed parts of the tips
deep steel-blue; but the lower half of the outer web
is pure white. In another specimen, which M. Les-
son supposes to be the young, the crown of the
hwul is almost grey, and the long outer feathers
of the tail want the white outer edge, and are en-
tirely brown, and the under plumage was dashed
with brownish red.

These specimens come from Peru.

144

TOPAZ THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus pella. — LINN^US. Variety.
PLATE XXV.

WE have given a copy from Lesson of a curious
variety of this bird, exhibiting an imperfect state of
albino, and in which the pure white feathers con-
trast beautifully with the gorgeous plumage of the
other parts, which did not seem to want any thing of
their brilliancy. It has been thought by some that
the occurrence of white feathers, or of pale coloured
varieties, did not take place in those birds having
plumage of shining or metallic lustre. Of this the
accompanying plate will be a proof to the contrary,
where it is exhibited in one possessing those qualities
to the utmost ; and we have specimens of one or two
other species where it also occurs. As familiar in-
stances of it, we may mention the common Starling,
Pheasant, and Peacock.

142 TOPAZ-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD.

The length of this hird, not including the long
centre tail feathers, is five inches and a half, these ex-
ceed the others by nearly three inches ; the colours
of the whole plumage of the body may be said to be
a rich brownish orange, in some lights appearing of
the deepest lake, and in others of a brilliant ruby
colour, tinted with golden ; on the lower surface the
golden lustre is most prevalent, above, the deep shade
and ruby tint ; the gorget is alternately of a topaz-
yellow or emerald green, and it is surrounded by a
shade of nearly velvet black, which gradually assumes
a purple tint, and shades into the colour of the
body ; the wings are very long and powerful ; the tail
is above of a golden green shaded with red, below
of a bright chestnut ; in form it is rather rounded, and
the two centre feathers make it appear sometimes
very lengthened, sometimes forked, according to their
position ; the tarsi are feathered to the division of the
toes.

The young differ in wanting the long feathers in
the tail, the two centre plumes of which exceed the
others by about one-eighth of an inch ; the plumage
of the upper parts is of a bright green, with the ruby
tints appearing at intervals ; the under part has more
of the red colour, and is shaded with green and bright
orange ; the gorget has not appeared, though the
space for it is clearly seen.

The female is somewhat less than the young males ;
the centre tail feathers are slightly longer; the prevail-
ing colour of the plumage is brilliant emerald green,

TOPAZ-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 143

with metallic lustre, but which is somewhat diminished
by a grey tint which pervades the whole ; the gorget
is marked by brown feathers, which have a golden
lustre when placed in the light, but is not very distinct-
ly defined ; the vent is grey : the outer tail feathers
are of a dull green, the next pair are of a brilliant
violet, the others of a bright chestnut.

These beautiful birds are found in Cayenne and
Guiana. *

The figure of this bird is reduced one- half.

145

THE SUPERCILIOUS HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus superciliosus. — LINN^US.
PLATES XXVI and XXVII.

Supercilious Humming-Bird, Shaw, General Zoology, v'm.
p. 284. — Latham's General History, iv. p. 293. — Le Brin
blanc, Euffon. — Le Colibri a brin blanc, Lesson* Histoire
Naturelle des Colibris, PI. vi. Male ; PL vii. Female.

LESSON makes of these birds his " VIII. Race,
les Brins blancs," and separates them from the form
of T. kirsutus, which immediately precedes them.
By Mr Swainson they are united under his group
Phaethornus, constituting his third division among the
Trochilidce. As a group we do not see how they can
he separated, and even if an after division should be
attempted, according to Lesson's characters the fe-
male of the one would enter into a different section.
Boie, again, seems to have made his genus Glaucis
from them, and it is under either that or Mr Swain-
son's title that they should now stand ; that gentle-
man is of opinion that it is by these that the Hum-
ming-Birds will unite with the Promeropidse. We
shall proceed to describe what seems to be known as
distinct species among them.

The bill of the Supercilious Humming-Bird is long
VOL. YII. K

146 SUPERCILIOUS HUMMING-BIRD.

and bent, considerably dilated at tbe base, and, as in
all the genus, has the undei mandible entering when
closed within the upper one ; the base of a bright
orange. The upper plumage of the bird is of a brown
bronzed green ; two reddish white lines mark the
cheeks ; the one more in the shape of a spot above the
eye, the other in a line from the corner of the mouth,
below the auriculars ; all the lower parts are of a
brownish white. The tail without the long feathers is
wedge- shaped, each feather widening towards the tip,
and then ending in a triangular sharp point ; the long
feathers keep the breadth of the others for the same
length, when they suddenly become narrow, and
form the distinguishing marks of the male. The co-
lour of the tail is bronzed green, shaded nearly to a
rich black at the ends, which terminate in a narrow
border of white ; the projecting ends of the long fea-
thers are also white.

The female is more brilliant in colour than the
male, the upper parts of the same tint are very bril-
liant ; the white line from the rictus is well marked,
but that above the eye does not appear ; the lower
parts are of a deeper shade of brown ; the tail is very
amply rounded ; the centre feathers longest, but not
projecting, of a bright green, with white tips : the
others bright chestnut-red, shading to black, and fur-
nished with a tip of white.

This species is found both in Guiana and Brazil

147

SCALY BACKED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochi Ins Eurynomus LESSON.

PLATE XXVIII.

Le Colibri Eurynome, Trochilus Eurynomus, Lesson, Tro-
chilidees, PL xxxi.

THIS species, undescribed before the work of M.
Lesson, is about six inches and a half in length, in-
cluding the long centre tail-feathers ; the head and
back of the neck is covered with brown scaly fea-
thers, fringed with chestnut ; the remaining upper
parts are of a fresh green, the plumes having the form
of scales, large and rounded, and fringed with a dull
reddish tinge; the upper part of the auriculars is black,
while an ochreous yellow line runs above, and one
of the same colour from the extremity of the gape ;
the throat has the feathers also in the form of scales
brown in the centre, and fringed with cchreous yel
low ; the neck, breast, belly, and flanks, are brownish
grey, dashed with reddish ; the lower tail-coverts are
of a reddish chestnut ; the tail is wedge-shaped, the
centre feathers much prolonged and narrow, green
for the length of the others, the projecting tips white ;
the other feathers are of a deep black at the base ,

148 GUY'S HUMMING-BIRD.

the tips, for very nearly the half, white. It is a na-
tive of Brazil.

The three preceding Plates will give an idea of
the form of the birds composing this group, and of
the resemblance of the females to those which M.
Lesson separates. We shall give the description
of the others which are known, some of which are
very diminutive. The first we shall mention is

GUY'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Guy — LESSON.
Le Guy Trochilus Guy, Lesson, Trochilidees, PL xliv.

THIS species approaches nearer than the others to
the Supercilious Humming-Bird, and seems even to
have been confounded with it. It is considerably
Ifss, however, and the projecting feathers of the tail
over-stretch it for a much less distance ; it is of the
same form with that of its near ally, above golden
green at the base, then black, the lateral feathers
fringed with white at their tips ; the projecting nar-
row parts of the centre plumes also white. The bill is
of considerable length, the under mandible bright
orange red, brownish at the tip ; the upper parts of
'he body are brilliant metallic green, the feathers on
the crown bordered with reddish ; the auriculars are
black, surrounded, above by a streak of tawny yellow,
and underneath by a line of the same colour ; the

INTERMEDIATE HUMMING-BIRD.

149

chin is of a bright chestnut, in the foim of a small
gorget ; the remaining under parts are of a rich bluish
grey, changing to a yellowish red in the centre of
the belly and on the vent ; the lower tail coverts are
pure white. Lesson, the only one who describes
this bird, does not mention its native country.

INTERMEDIATE HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus intermedius — LESSON.

Le Colibri intermediaire, Trochilus intermedius, Lesson,
Trochilidces, PL xix.

THIS species is a native of Brazil. It is about three
and a half inches in length. In Lesson's represen-
tation, the under mandible of the bill is coloured pale
pink at the base, then black, then pink and tipped
with black ; in the description it is mentioned of a
yellow colour entirely, "1'inferieurejaunatre." The
former is a curious distribution. The general colour
of the plumage is a reddish brown ; on the rump,
belly, and vent, assuming a sienna colour ; above the
eye is the pale yellow eye-stripe, beneath the auricu-
lars, which are black, another ; the centre feathers of
the tail exceed the others only by about half an inch,
and become gradually narrower from the base ; the
projecting part is pure white, the colour of the other
parts black, the outer one bordered with reddish-
brown.

150

BOURCIER'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Bourcierii. — LESSOX.

THIS bird in general appearance also resembles
the first we described, but is considerably less. The
tail is very ample, and tbe centre feathers of con-
siderable proportional length. The colour of the
upper side is a greenish black, deeper towards the
tip, where the outer web is marked with a chestnut
spot ; the long feathers are brown where they exceed
the length of the tail, the tips white ; underneath, the
whole has a brownish tint. The crown is of a red-
dish green, which is the prevailing tint over the up-
per parts, from each feather being fringed with red-
dish brown, somewhat in the manner of the Scaly-
backed Species. The throat is white, the whole of
the other under parts of a reddish grey, most vivid
upon the sides of the neck ; a slight tracing of the
superciliary streak and that from the rictus is seen,
but it is only visible when the position of the bird is
varied. It is a native of Brazil, and Lesson thinks
that it inhabits the mountainoue districts of that vast
country.

151

BROWN BRAZILIAN HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus squalidus. — NATTERER.

Colibri terne, Trochilus squalidus, Temminck, Planches Co-
loriees, pi. 120 — Le Colibri & vestiture terne, Lesson, His-
toire Naturelles des Collins, pi. viii.

THIS species was discovered in Brazil by M. Nat-
terer, and first figured by Temrainck in the Planches
Coloriees ; in colouring and the distribution of it, it
has every appearance of the supercilious Humming-
Bird. Lesson goes so far as to say, that it is a de-
generated local variety, with which we cannot agree.
The size is scarcely one-half. The upper plumage
is a dull brownish green.

The superciliary stripe is very conspicuous, of a
reddish yellow, the auriculars beneath are deep
brown, and another stripe from the rictus joins the
uppermost, surrounding the eye and ear-feathers
completely. The throat and breast are dull grey ;
the feathers of the former are in the shape of scales,
with dark centres. The belly and vent are of a
tawny yellow. The tail is brown, each feather tipped
with white, and the whole extending part of the
centre ones of the same colour.

152

LONGUEMARE'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilua Longuemareus — LESSON.
Le Colibri Longuemare, Lesson, Trochilidees, pis. ii. & Ixii.

THIS species, says Lesson, has always been con-
founded with the next, but from which every cha-
racter distinguishes it. We give this naturalist's de-
scription, having no specimen of the bird.

It is about three inches eight lines in length ; on
the crown there is as it were a cowl of deep brown,
tinged with red ; the back and sides of the neck are
of a brownish red, which is the prevailing colour of the
whole upper parts, having upon the back metallic re-
flections of a green lustre ; all the under parts are of
a reddish yellow, deepest on the throat and breast ;
the lower tail-coverts are white. There is not so
much variation in the length of the centre feathers
of this species as in many, and it has more the ap-
pearance of a graduated or wedge-shaped tail. The
exceeding tips of the centre feathers are, however,
white, the other parts of them and the rest of the
tail brown. This species is a native of Cayenne.

153

RED-BELLIED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Rufigaster — LESSON.

Colibri a ventre rousatre, Temminck, Planches Coloriees,
pi 120 — Le Colibri a ventre rouse, Lesson, Histoire No-
turette des Colibris, pi. ix.

THIS curious little Humming-Bird is little more
than three inches in length, of which the bill alone
is one. The crown is of a greyish tint. The super-
ciliary streak is pure white, and passes above to the
end of the auriculars. The back of the neck and back,
are of a chestnut-red, with golden-green reflections.
The under parts are also of a chestnut-red, palest on
the throat, and almost changing to yellowish-white
on the chin. The tail is brown, tipped with a red-
dish white. The two centre feathers have golden-
green reflections, and the surpassing tips are white.
It is a native of Brazil.

DAVID'S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Davidianus LESSON.

Le Colibri David, Lesson, Trochilidees, pi. xiii.

THIS species M. Lesson has dedicated to the ce-
lebrated French artist, David. It is of the same
size with the last, and of a light graceful form. The
general tint of the plumage is brown, deeply colour-

154 DAVID'S HUMMING-BIRD.

ed above, and beneath of a paler shade, tinted with
yellow. The auriculars are of the same deep colour
with the upper parts, and form a patch on the cheek,
surrounded on the under part with a brighter shade.
The tail is regularly graduated, the centre feathers,
though longer, not far surpassing the others. It in-
habits Cayenne.

These are all the birds which Lesson includes in
this form. The others do not possess any particular
elongation of the centre tail feathers. The first we
shall mention is the

155

HAIRY-LEGGED HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus hirsutus. — LINNAEUS.
PLATE XXIX.

Trochilus hirsutus, Linnceus — T. Brasiliensis, Latham aiid
Temminck, auct. Lesson — Le Colibri hirsute, Lesson,
Histoire Naturelle des Colibris, pi. xxi.

THIS species will stand as the type of what Les-
son makes his second form, among those with curved
hills. It was named by Linnaeus as above, from the
legs being slightly plumed below the first joints ;
this, however, seems a character not quite constant,
and does not appear in the specimens which we have
under that name. The distinctions between the males
and females of these birds seem to differ very little,
as far as we at present know, and there is no pro-
longation of the centre feathers in the male sex, as
we always found in the preceding group. In this
species the nest is built of a much looser structure,
and of a longer, almost pendulous form.

This bird is about four inches in length. The
upper part of the body is of a shining green, with
purple reflections, deeply tinged with reddish-brown.
All the under parts are of a bright reddish-brown,
duller on the flanks. The tail is of a deep shade of

]56 HAlRY-LEGGEt) HUMMING-BIRD.

the same colour, the centre feathers shaded with
green ; a hand nearly hlack crosses at the tips, which,
with the exception of those in the centre, are white.

Lesson says it is a native of Brazil, and is rare.
We have received numerous specimens of what we
conceive to be this species, from the Island of To-
bago, where it appears to be very abundant.

Another epecies having considerable resemblance,
is the

MAZEPPA HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Mazeppa — LESSON.

Le Colibri Mazeppa, Trochilus Mazeppa, Lesson, Trochih-
dk.es ^ pi. iii.

THIS bird is about five inches in length. The up-
per parts are of a much finer greyish-green than
its congeners ; on the head having the feathers rather
of a scaly form, with brilliant reflections. The lower
parts are of a clear reddish-brown, tinged with green
on the flanks. The tail is very ample, and, except
the centre feathers, which are green, is of a brilliant
chestnut-red, barred with black at the tip. It is a
native of Guiana. Lesson asks, " May this not be
the female of a species of which the other sex has
not been discovered,'* and seems to have an idea
somewhat similar regarding that of the Hairy-legged
Humming-Bird. We have received the latter often

MAZEPPA HUMMING-BIRD. 157

marked "male" and "female," without any difference
except in the brilliancy of colouring.

Lesson has introduced another bird into this group,
which, to judge from his representation, will rank
elsewhere. The tail is slightly forked, and of a dark
tint. He names it Colibri simple, Trochilus sim-
plex. It is a native of Brazil.

The last of the group is

158

SWAINSON^S HUMMING-BIRD.

Trochilus Swainsonii — LESSON.
PLATE XXX.

Le Colibri Swainson, Trochilus Swain sonii,
Trochilidees, pi. Ixvi.

IN a former Plate we gave a bird from Lesson un-
der the above title, and our only reason for again
introducing anotber Humming -Bird with die same
name is, that this group of birds will stand under
Pcethornis Stu., and that this species will be placed
in our Systems as P. Swainsonii ; the other as Cy-
nanthus Swainsonii.

It is a native of Brazil, and is about three inches
in length. The tail does not shew the roundness
or graduation which is so conspicuous in the others ;
like them, however, the centre feathers are green ;
the others of an ochreous-yellow, barred with black,
and with a white tip. The upper parts are of a
brilliant brownish-green ; the under parts of a red-
dish chestnut, of a tint nearly uniform.

SYNOPSIS.

SYNOPSIS *.

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHIL1DJE.

Character of the Family. Bill longer than the head, straight
or curved ; the upper mandible slightly dilated at the
base, the lower entering or sheathed within the upper
the points very sharp. Nostrils basal, lateral, the open-
ing narrow, sometimes covered with the plumes of the
forehead. Tongue extensible, long, tubular, divided at
the tip, the os hyoides passing over the occiput (like that
of the Woodpeckers). Wings long, rigid, the quills round-
ed at the tips, the first longest, the others gradually de-
creasing in length. Tail composed of ten feathers, length
and form very varied. Tarsi small and slender, scutel-
lated ; toes three, nearly equal in length, the two internal
connected at the base ; hallux comparatively strongest,
the nails compressed, much hooked, very sharp. Plu-
mage with metallic lustre. Males usually adorned with
a gorget of scaly- formed feathers, crest, ruffs, or ear- tufts.
Native country Tropical America +. Contains five Sub-
Families.

* The Synopsis is made out chiefly from the works of Vieillot an«*
Audebert, and the Monograph of Lesson, compared, as far as possible,
with specimens in the Royal Edinburgh Museum, and in the collection of
the conductor. Mr Swainson's five sub-families are given, with that orni-
thologist's characters, but some species are placed without examination;
these, however, are generally marked with doubt. The five subdivi-
sions have been placed as sub-families, and Mr Swainson's title, -without
the proper termination, has been retained. Genera which have been
proposed by different ornithologists are marked under the typical species
of each.

i The Northern and Nootka Humming-Birds are found in the north-
ern continent of America; and it is said that Mr Audubon has discovered
a third species occasionally inhabiting these northern latitudes.
VOL. VII. T

162 SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^.

I. SUB-FAM. TROCHILUS. Bill very straight. Tail
moderate, equal or rounded.

1. T. SUPERBUS, Superb Humming-Bird. — Shaw, Gen.
Zoo/. Temm. PI. Color. 299. Oiseau-mouche Co-
rinne, Less. O. M. ii. Crown of a rich blue ; throat
amethystine-red, surrounded with a line of pure
white, gradually shading into pale grey which covers
the under parts ; upper parts golden-green ; tail
rounded, two outer feathers tipped with white. In-
habits the island of Trinite'.

PL. IX. VOL. I — 2. T. QUADRICOLOR, Azure-crowned Hum-
ming-Bird. — Vieill. Oiseau-mouche tete d'azur,
Less. O. M. Supp. xvii. xviii. Crown brilliant
azure-blue, upper parts golden-green, beneath pure
white, yellowish upon the flanks; tail brownish-
green. Inhabits Brazil.

PL. XVII. VOL. II — 3. T. MESOLEUCUS, White-striped
Humming-Bird — Temm. PL Color. 317. Less. O. M.
xxix. xxx. Plumage dull-green ; gorget of rich ame-
thystine-red stretching upon the sides of the neck ;
a central white line along the centre of the under
parts. Female wants the gorget ; that part is occu-
pied by a patch of greyish- white, the base of each
feather darker. Inhabits Brazil.

4. T. SQUAMOSUS, Scaly-throated Humming-Bird —
Temm. PI. Color. 205. Oiseau-mouche ecaille, Less.
O. M. xx. Plumage bright- green ; throat white,
with the centre of each leather grey, whence a white
line along the centre of the under parts. Inhabits
Brazil.

PL. XVIII. VOL. II — 5. T. RIVOLII, Duke of Rivoli's Hum-
ming-Bird.— Oiseau-mouche Rivolii, Less. O. M. iv.
Plumage of a very dark golden-green ; the crown with
a cowl of very rich blue, separated from the gorget

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^. 163

by a dark line of the general tint of the body *, gorget
bright emerald-green, spreading upon the side of the
neck; tail very ample, nearly square. Inhabits
Mexico.

PL. XXV. VOL. I.— 6. T. CORA, the Cora Humming- Bird.
— Orthorhynchus Cora, Less. Zool. de La Coq. xxxi.
fig. 4. Above and on the flanks brilliant-green ;
gorget of amethystine-red, lower parts pure-white ;
tail very long, with the centre feathers much exceed-
ing the others. Inhabits the elevated country be-
tween Callao and Lima.

PL. XXI. XXII. VOL. I 7. T. CORNUTUS, Double-crested

Humming-Bird — Neuw. Voy. au Bres. Trochilus bi-
lopWs, Temm. xviii. Ornismya chrysolopha, Less.
O. M. vii. Back and shoulders golden-green ; fore-
head and gorget, the latter finishing in a point, bright
bluish-purple, inclining more to blue on the forehead,
above the eyes two crests of brilliant golden-orange ;
under parts pure white ; tail very long, feathers near-
ly equally graduated. Female wants the crest. In-
habits the exalted Campos-Geraes at the sources of
the river Don Francisco.

8. T. AURITUS, Violet-eared Humming-Bird. — Vieill.
Ois. Dor. 25. and 26. Violet-eared Humming-Bird,
Lath. I/Oiseaux-mouche £ oreilles d'azur, Less. O.
M. x. and xi. Above brilliant green, beneath pure
white,'vent greenish ; behind the ears a tuft of round
violet-coloured feathers, somewhat elongated ; a line
from the rictus beneath the eyes black ; tail wedge-
shaped, the four centre feathers blackish-green, the
others white. Female without the tufts, under parts
tinged with grey. Inhabits Guiana and Brazil.

PL. XIII. VOL. I. PL. XV. VOL. II — 9. T. PETASOPHORUS,
Violet-tufted Humming-Bird — Neuw. Temm. PL
Color, cciii. fig. 3. Oiseaux-mouche petasophore,
Less. O. M. xiii. and lix. Plumage bright-green,
palest on the vent ; under tail-coverts pure white ;
throat with scaly-formed steel-blue feathers ; elon-
gated tuft behind the ears rich violet, changing from
nearly orange-red to blue ; tail even. Female bril-

164

SYNOPSIS OP THE TROCHILID.E.

liant emerald-green ; vent and under tail-coverts
white ; a white stripe from the rictus below the eyes.
Inhabits Brazil.

PL. XIV. VOL. I — 10. T. SCUTATUS, Natterer's Humming-
Bird — Oiseau-mouche e'cussonne', Temm. PL Col.
ccxcix. fig. 3. Le Natterer, Less. O. M. xvi. and Ixi.
Above golden-green ; front and gorget bright emer-
ald-green ; two ample tufts springing from below each
eye of a deep indigo-blue, tipped with dull-yellow;
breast and belly indigo-blue ; flanks greenish ; vent
and under tail-coverts white ; tail square. Inhabits
Brazil.

PL. X. VOL. I. PL. VII. VOL. II.— 11. T. DELALA^DII, De-
lalande's Humming-Bird — Vieitt, Diet. d'Hist. Nat.
—Temm. PI. Col. xviii. Le Plumet bleu, Less. O. M.
xxiii. xxiv. Above golden-green ; behind the eye a
white stripe ; forehead and crown brilliant emerald-
green, continued by a pointed crest of rich indigo-blue,
the longest feather narrow and tipped with white ;
under parts deep indigo- blue; vent and under tail-
coverts grey. Female wants the crest ; grey beneath ;
tail banded with deep indigo-blue, tipped with white.
Inhabits Brazil.

PL. VI. VOL. II — 12. T. LODDIGESII, Loddiges's Humming-
Bird — I/Oiseau-mouche Loddige, Less. Troch. li.
Above golden-green, under parts pale grey, marked
in the centre of the breast and belly with a velvety
patch of deep black ; crown and elongated crest en-
tirely of a rich violet-blue ; tail graduated, steel-blue,
white at the tip. Inhabits Brazil.

The two last form the genus Cephalepis of Loddige.

PL. XII. VOL. I 13. T. SEPHANOIDES, Violet-crowned

Humming-Bird — Orthorhynchus sephanoides, Less.
et Garn. Zool. de la Cog. xxxi. Above, golden-green ;
underneath, yellowish-white, feathers spotted with
grey ; crown with a rounded crest, rich reddish vio-
let. Inhabits Chili, Talcaguana.

PL. V. VOL. II.— 14. T. STOKESII, Stoke's Humming-Bird.
— Kingi Proceed. Zool. Soc. Lond. Le Stokes, Less.
Troch 1. Back and rump brilliant emerald-green.

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^E. 10O

feathers broad and scale-formed ; under parts pure
white, each plume with an emerald-green spot, sur-
rounded by a darker shade; auriculars blackish-
brown, spotted with violet ; crest very ample, rounded,
brilliant blue ; tail broad, centre feathers green,
others white on the inner webs. Inhabits the island
of Juan Fernandez.

T. tephanoides and Stokesii are closely allied to the two prece-
ding.

IS. T. CRISTATUS, Crested Humming- Bird. — Edw. 37.
Oiseau mouche Huppe, Less. O. M. xxxi. xxxii.
Plumage golden-green; an elongated crest of eme-
rald-green, with blue reflections. Female without the
crest, beneath grey. Inhabits islands of Trinitd and
Martinique.

Oiseau mouche d Huppe blue, Vieil. Ois. Dor., seems a variety ;

body entirely brown, crest deep blue.

PL. XI. VOL. 1 — 16. T. MOSCHITUS, Ruby-crested Hum-
ming-Bird — Edw. Lath. Le rubis topaz, Less. O. M.
Hi. lii. liv. ? Above, belly and vent, of a dull golden-
brown, in some specimens very deeply coloured ;
crown of a brilliant ruby red; gorget, occupying the
whole breast, topaz-yellow ; tail chestnut, tipped with
black, very ample. Female without the crest and
gorget. Inhabits West India Islands.
Lesson figures the female green above, grey beneath, tail chest-
nut at the base, barred with green and white tips.

PL. XV. XVI. VOL. I 17. T. oRNATUs,The Tufted-necked

Humming- Bird — Le Huppe-col, Buff. 640. Tufted-
necked Humming- Bird, Lath. Gen. Hist. xv. 318. Or-
nismya ornata, Less. O. M. xli. Upper parts,belly, and
vent, golden-green ; rump with a white band ; front,
and gorget occupying the whole of the throat and
breast, emerald-green ; crest of pointed feathery
chestnut-red ; sides of the neck with long narrow fea-
thers, chestnut-red, tipped with a round spot of eme-
rald-green ; tail chestnut-red, centre feathers green.
Female wants the crest and neck tufts ; gorget chest-
nut ; tail chestnut, barred in the centre with green.
Inhabits Cayenne, Guiana, Brazil.
PL. XVII. VOL. I. — 18. T. AUDENETII, Audenet's Humming-

166 SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILLIXE.

Bird — L'Oiseau-mouche Audenet, Less. Supp. ii.
Above golden-green : rump with a dark band, relieved
on each side with white ; gorget occupying the throat,
emerald-green ; feathers of the breast, belly and vent
greyish-brown at the base, yellowish- white at the top,
neck with tufts ; the feathers narrow, emerald-green,
tipped with white. Inhabits Peru.

PL. XVIII. VOL. I — 19. T. CHALYBEUS, Vieillot's Hum-
ming-Bird. — Temm. PI. Col. Ix. Oiseau-mouche
Vieillot, Less. O. M. Ixiv. Above golden-green ; rump
crossed by a yellowish band ; front and gorget eme-
rald-green ; tinder parts white, dashed with green on
the flanks ; tail chestnut ; neck with lengthened tufts,
feathers narrow, emerald-green, each with a white
spot at the end. Female is grey below, and wants the
neck-tufts ; tail of a brownish-purple, tipped with
reddish-brown. Inhabits Brazil.

PL. XII. VOL. II.— 20. T. GOULDII, Gould's Humming- Bird.
— Oiseau-mouche de Gould, Less. Troch. xxxvi. Up-
per parts golden-green ; front, and gorget occupying
the breast, brilliant emerald-green ; crown with a crest
of lengthened feathers, chestnut-red ; belly and vent
deep greenish-black; neck with lengthened tufts,
feathers narrow, pure white, a round spot of brilliant
green at the tip of each. Inhabits -

PL. XIX. XX. VOL. I — 11. T. MAGNIFICUS, Magnificent
Humming- Bird — Vieil. Diet. des. Scien. Nat.— Temm.
PI. Col. 299. fig. 2. La Hausse-col blanc, Less. O. M.
xlii. xlii. Golden-green above, beneath of a duller
shade of the same colour; front and gorget emerald-
green ; crown with a double chestnut crest of long
pointed feathers, sides of the neck with tufts closing
round the lower part of the gorget ; the feathers broad
and rounded, pure white, with a narrow black bar at
the tip of each. Female without the crest or neck-
tufts ; gorget chestnut-red, lower part grey. Young
entirely greyish-white below. Inhabits Brazil.

The last five species form the genus Lophornis of Lesson, in
which he also includes T. pctasophorus and the Cephaiepit
of Loddiges.

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^E. 167

PL. IX. VOL. II — 22. T. RUFUS, Ruff-necked or Nootka
Humming- BiTd.-Gmel. Ruff-necked Humming. Bird,
Lath. Selasphorus rufus, Nootka Humming-Bird,
Swain. JV. Zoo/. Above clear reddish-brown, with
green reflections; crown bright emerald-green, the
feathers scaly; shoulders of same colour ; gorget, ex-
tending upon the neck in narrow points, brilliant
fiery red; under parts white, reddish on the flanks;
tail wedge-shaped. Inhabits California, and the north-
west coast of America.

This species is the type of Mr Swainson's genus Selasphorus,
in which he also includes the five preceding birds.

PL. VI. VOL. I — 22. C. ANNA, Duchess of Rivoli's Hum-
ming-Bird. — Oiseau-mouche Anna, Less. O. M.
Ixxiv. Crown and gorget rich amethystine-red, gorget
spreading upon the sides of the neck ; upper parts
golden-green, under parts greyish white, shaded
with pink ; tail brown with metallic lustre, slightly
forked. Inhabits California.

PL. VIII. VOL. I — 23. T. PRASINA, Golden-green Hum-
ming-Bird. — T. viridissimus, Lath. $ L'Orvert, Less.
O. M. Ixv. Entirely of a rich golden-green, brightest
on the forehead and breast ; tail blackish-blue. In-
habits Brazil.

The varieties of Latham with white under parts, may proba-
bly be the young and females.

PL. VII. VOL. I 24. T. ? CYANEUS, Blue and green Hum-
ming-Bird— Vieill. Oiseau-mouche verazur,jLm. Ixi.
Upper parts, tail and flanks green ; the front, breast
and belly blue ; the gorget white, feathers dark at
the base. Inhabits Brazil.

25. T. ALBIVENTRIS, White-bellied Humming-Bird —
Oiseau-mouche a ventre blanc, Less. Troch. xxii.
Above golden-green ; throat and breast shaded off
upon the- flanks emerald-green ; belly, vent, and
lower tail-coverts, pure white ; tail above brownish-
green, beneath steel-blue, graduated. Inhabits

26. T. VIRIDIS. Vieil. Ois. Dor. Oiseau-mouche a queue

vert et blanche, Less, O. M. xl. Golden-green above ;

lf)8 SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^.

throat and breast brilliant yellowish-green, with a
silvery lustre ; tail wedge-shaped, green at the base,
gradually shading into pure white. Inhabits the
island of Trinite.

27. T. TEPHROCEPHALUS ? — Less. O. M. Ix. Crown grey ;
upper parts, throat, and breast, green ; belly and vent
greyish- white ; tail blackish-green, the outer feathers
tipped with white. Inhabits Brazil.

Described from Lesson apparently in immature plumage.
'28. T. ALBICOLLIS? — Less. O. M. Ixiii. Entirely green,
except a patch on the breast and vent white •, tail
steel-blue, all the feathers, except those in the cen-
tre, tipped with white. Inhabits Brazil.
29. T. VIRIDISSIMA ?— Vieill. Ois. Dor, 42. Less. O. M.
Ixxv. Upper parts golden-green ; throat and breast
green mixed with white ; belly and vent greyish. In-
habits Brazil.

Numbers 27. and 28. are described from Lesson.

PL. II. VOL. I 30. T. AVOCETTA, Avocet-billed Humming-

Bird. — L'Oiseau-mouche avocette, Less. O. M. xxiv.
Golden-green above ; throat green, forming a gorget ;
belly dull black ; a line of white along each side of
the body ; tail steel-blue, square. Inhabits Guiana.
PL. III. VOL. I — 31. T. RECURVIROSTRIS, Recurved-billed
Humming-Bird — Swain. Zoo/. Illust. 1st series, cv.
Oiseau-mouche a bee recourbe', Less. O. M. xxxvii.
Plumage brilliant green ; the throat with a gorget of
emerald green, occupying the breast ; centre of the
belly with a dark streak ; tail chestnut. Young with
the belly and vent white; bill serrated. Inhabits
Guiana.

We have placed these two birds last in the Sub-family Trochi-
lus; from the curious form of the bill they will not answer
any of the general characters. Lesson makes a separate race
" Les avosettes" founded upon the turned up bill.

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILLLXE. 169

II. SUB-FAM. CYNANTHUS. Bill straight, or very
slightly curved. Tail very long, forked.

PL. V. VOL. I — 1. C. COLUBRIS, Northern Humming- Bird.
—The Red-throated Humming-Bird, Edw. Hum-
ming-Bird, Wilson's N. A. Ornith. Northern Hum-
ming-Bird, N. Zoo/. Above, brilliant green ; beneath,
white, greenish upon the flanks ; throat with a ruby
gorget, varying with the light to brilliant red. In-
habits N. America.

PL. XIV. VOL. II.— 2. C. LUCIFER, Blue-throated Hum-
ming-Bird.— Cynanthus lucifer, Swains. Ornismya
cyanopogon, Less. Col. ix. Above brilliant green ; be-
neath white ; flanks dashed with yellowish ; throat
with a gorget of violet feathers, which can be raised
and expanded at pleasure. Inhabits Mexico.

PL. IX. VOL. II. — 3. C. AMETHYSTINUS, Amethystine
Humming-Bird — Linn., Lath. Ornismya amethy-
stina, Less. Col. xlvii. Above golden-green ; beneath
greyish- white ; throat with a violet gorget, succeeded
on the breast with a pure white band; tail deeply
forked. Inhabits Guiana.

4. C. AMETHYSTOIDES, Little Amethystine Humming-
Bird. — Le petit Amethyste, Ornismya amethystoides,
Less. Col. xxv., xxvi., xxvii. Length only 2£ inches ;
upper parts golden-green ; under parts greyish ; gor-
get amethystine-red, succeeded by a collar of grey.

Inhabits = —

Distinguished from the last by its less size and the colour of

mine gorget. In the female and young of both the tail is
rounded.
II. VOL. II — 5. C ? ORTHURA, Even-tailed Amethy-
stine Humming-Bird. — L'Amethystoide a queue £gale,
Less. Troch. xvviii. & xxix. Above, golden-green ;

170

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^.

throat and breast with an amethystine gorget, sue-
ceeded by a band of white ; lower parts cinnamon-
red ; tail equal, golden-green, black at the tips, ex-
cept the two outside feathers, which are tipped with
white. Inhabits Brazil.

We have placed this provisionally in Cynanthus ; the bird
seems only well known in its young state, when the tail is
square. It is introduced upon the authority of Lesson.

PL. XXIX. VOL. I.— 6. C. LEUCOTIS, White-eared Hum-
ming-Bird. — Trochilus leucotis, Vieill. Oiseau-
mouche Arsenne, Less. O. M. ix. Front, cheeks and
throat azure-blue ; crown brown, shading into golden-
green on the upper parts ; a very marked white streak
from the eye above the auriculars ; gorget bright
emerald-green ; belly and vent greyish-green ; under
tail-coverts pure white. Inhabits Brazil.

PL. XXIV. VOL. I 7. C. VESPER, The Evening Hum-

ming-Bird — Oiseau-mouche vesper, Ornismya ves-
per, Less. Col. xix. vi. Golden-green above, beneath
white ; gorget rich violet. Inhabits Chili.

PL. XIII. VOL. II 8. C? TRICOLOR, Tri-coloured Hum-

ming-Bird — Le Tricolor, Less. Troch. pi. xiv.
Above golden-green ; throat with a gorget of bright
carmine ; feathers rounded and capable of expanding ;
under parts pure white, greenish upon the flanks ;
tail slightly graduated, centre feathers golden green,
others steel-blue, margined with chestnut. Inhabits
Mexico.

Swainson appears to make the form of the tail a principal cha-

racter in his division Cynanthus. We have introduced T.

tricolor, therefore, with a mark of doubt, from the diflerence

in form. In other respects it is closely allied.

9. C. PLATURUS, Racket- tailed Humming- Bird. — Lath.

Gen. Hist. iv. p. 388. Oiseau-mouche a raquettes,

Less. Col. xxxi. Above dull green ; gorget and breast

bright emerald-green; tips of the prolonged feathers

nearly round ; tarsi unplumed. Inhabits Guiana.

PL. XXII. VOL. II.— 10. C. UNDERWOODII, Rough-legged

Racket- tailed Humming- Bird — Less. Troch. xxxii.

Above dull green, a white band across the rump ; gor-

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^E.

get and breast bright emerald- green ; tips of the pro-
longed feathers oblong: tarsi thickly plumed with

hair-like feathers. Inhabits

The two last forms Lesson's genus Platurus.

PL. XXVII. VOL. I.— 10. C. ENICURUS, Half-tailed Hum-
ming-Bird. — Vieill. Nouv. Diet. d. Hist. Nat. Oiseau-
mouche a queue singuliere, Temm. — Less. O. M. xv.
Above bright green ; gorget violet, succeeded by
bands of white and yellow ; belly and vent green ;
tail of six feathers. Inhabits Brazil, Island of Tri-
nite.

PL. XXVI. VOL. I 11. C. DUPONTII, Dupont's Humming-

Bird. — L'Oiseau-mouche Zemes, Ornismya Dupontii,
Less. Supp. pi. i. Above golden-green, the gorget rich
blue with violet reflections, succeeded by a band of
white, whence the under parts are grey ; tail deeply
forked, the outer feathers narrowing and again ex-
panding at the tips, as in C. platurus, but never leav-
ing the shaft bare ; all are tipped with pure white.
Inhabits Mexico.

12. C. CONIVETTII, Conivet's Humming- Bird — L'Oiseau-
mouche parvule, Ornismya Conivetii, Less. Supp.
xxxvii. — Above golden-green, beneath dark emerald-
green ; tail deeply forked ; feathers broad, brownish-
black, tipped with grey ; base of the upper mandible
orange-yellow. Inhabits Brazil.

PL. XXI. VOL. II.— 13. C. POLYTMUS, Black-Capped Hum-
ming-Bird.-— Edw.9 Lath. Ornismya cephalatra,
Less. Col. xvii. Crown black, the feathers loose
and lengthened ; upper parts, belly, and vent, rich
golden-green ; gorget, covering the whole of the throat
and fore part of the neck, bright emerald-green \
outei tail-feathers much lengthened. Female with
the under parts white; wants the long feathers of
the tail, inhabits Guiana and Jamaica.
14. C ? JUGULARIS, Red-breasted Humming- Bird. — T. ju-
gularis, Linn $ Red-breasted Humming- Bird, Edto.
Above and below of a deep velvetty black, with vio-
let reflections; gorget extending upon the breast
carmine ; tail steel-blue, rounded. Inhabits Guiana.

172 SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^.

PL. X. VOL. II.— 15. C. LANGSDORFFII, LangsdorfTs Hum-
ming-Bird.— Temm. PI. Col. 66. Le Langsdorff, Less.
Col. xvi. and xxvi. Above bright green, crossed by
a narrow white band on the rump; gorget bright
green, succeeded by bands of yellow and reddish-
orange ; vent and six centre tail-feathers deep blue ;
tail deeply forked, exterior feathers acuminated. In-
habits Brazil.

16. C. KEINERII, Reiner's Humming-Bird. Less. Troch.
Ixv. Above golden green ; throat, neck, and breast,
pure white, the two latter with round emerald-green
spots; belly and vent blackish-grey, under tail-
coverts chestnut ; tail lengthened, slightly forked,
brownish-grey, darker at the end, outer feathers tip-
ped with white. Inhabits Brazil.

Known only from the figure of Lesson, which was taken from

a female in possession of M. Prevost of Paris. The tail of

the male most probably is deeply forked.

PL. XXIII. VOL. II — 17. C. SPARGANURUS, Bar-tailed
Humming-Bird. — Shaw's Gen. Zool. viii. p. 291. Or-
nismya sapho, Less. O. M. xxvii. xxviii. Above gol-
den-green ; gorget covers the throat, breast, and belly ;
tail with the plumes very broad, deeply forked, gold-
en reddish-orange, each feather tipped with black,
giving a barred appearance when the tail is closed.
Female, above brownish, beneath grey ; tail ample,
forked, but half the length of that of the male, brown-
ish-red; outer web of outside feathers yellowish-
white. Inhabits interior of Brazil.
Itt. O> NUNA, The Nuna Humming-Bird — La Nouna-
Kaoli, Less. Col. xxxv. Above, bright golden green ;
beneath white, plumes with a round spot of emerald-
green at the tip of each ; tail deeply forked, feathers
broad, steel-blue at the base, green at the tips, outer
edged with white. Inhabits Peru.

19. C. RUBINEUS, Ruby - throated Humming-Bird. —
Linn., Lath. Oiseau mouche rubis, Less. Col. xliv.,
xlv. and xlvi. Plumage of a deep uniform golden-
green, brighter on the breast ; gorget of a rich ruby
tint, with golden reflections ; tail cinnamon-red, with

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^.

a narrow black bar at the tip, very slightly forked.
Female reddish-grey beneath, a white spot behind
the eye. Young nearly similar. Inhabits Brazils.

PL. XXVIII. VOL. I 20. T. SAPHURINUS, Sapphire-throat-
ed Humming-Bird-— Lath. iv. 326. Oiseau-mouche
Sapphire, Less. Orn. Iv. Ivi. Iviii. Plumage above
the belly and vent green ; throat chestnut ; neck and
forepart of the breast rich saphire-blue ; under tail-
coverts and tail chestnut-red. Female wanting the
chestnut on the throat, and having the blue reaching
entirely over the neck; belly and vent white; tail
brownish. Inhabits Guiana, Brazil, the Island of
Berbice.

PL. XVI. VOL. II.— 21. C. WAGLERII, Wagler's Humming-
Bird. — Le Wagler, Less. Col. Ixxiii. Plumage entire-
ly of a deep emerald-green, having very brilliant blue
reflections. Wings tinged with blue; tail slightly
forked. Inhabits Brazil.

22. C. BICOLOR, Saphire and Emerald Humming-Bird.
—Lath. Gen. Hist. iv. 329. Crown and back of the
neck deep greenish-brown ; back and remaining up-
per parts, sides, belly, and vent, rich green ; throat
and neck shading into the green of the breast, bril-
liant blue; tail steel-blue. Female has the under
parts pure white. Inhabits French Guiana, Guada-
loupe.

23. C? CCERULEUS, Audebert's Humming-Bird. — T. co?-
ruleus, Ois. dor. iv. Oiseau-mouche Audebert,
Less. O. M. iv. Golden green above ; throat blue ;
neck and under parts emerald-green; vent white;
tail steel-blue, square. Inhabits Guiana.

24. C. GLAUCOPIS, Blue-fronted Humming-Bird. — Gmel.
Trochilus frontalis, Lath. iv. p. 352. Oiseau-mouche
glaucope, Less. Col. Iviii. lix. Forehead and crown
deep blue with violet, reflections. Above dull green,
in some specimens blackish-green ; gorget running
upon the breast and upper part of the belly, rich
emerald-creen ; vent greyish-white. Female with-
out the blue on the head ; lower pans grey. Inhabits
Brazil.

] 74 SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^E.

PL. XXIII. VOL. I.— 25. C. FURCATUS, Violet Fork-tailed
Humming- Bird. — L'Oiseau-mouche a queue four-
chue, Buff. Trochilus furcatus, Gmel. Less, xviii.
Plumage of a deep violet-black, with lighter reflec-
tions ; gorget, reaching to the upper part of the breast,
bright emerald-green ; tail ample, deeply forked.
Inhabits Brazil, Guiana, Jamaica.

26. C. ERYTHRONOTUS, Crimson-Rumped Humming-
Bird.— L'Erythronote, Less. Col. xi. Head, breast,
and belly, bright emerald-green ; lower part of the
back, rump and upper tail-coverts, crimson-red ; tail
forked, of an indigo-blue on both sides. Inhabits
Brazil.

27. C. MAUGERII, The Ourissa. — Trochilus Maugerii,
Vieill. Oiseau-mouche Mauge, Less. O. M. Ixvii. Ixix.
Deep blackish-green above, the reflections brilliant ;
forehead and throat emerald-green ; breast banded
with rich blue: vent greyish ; tail deeply forked, steel-
Blue. Female of duller plumage ; lower parts grey ;
tail nearly square, centre feathers green, tipped with
white, others nearly brown. Inhabits Porto Rico.

28. C. CYANOGENYS, Neuwied's Humming-Bird. — Oiseau-

mouche Wied, Less. O. M. Supp. xxvi. Above
golden-green ; chin blue ; breast and belly emerald-
green ; vent white ; tail square, deep and bright
steel-blue. Inhabits Brazil.

29. C. ATALA, The Atala — I/Atala, Less. Troch. xlii.

Plumage of the head and body clear emerald-green,
the vent and under tail-coverts white ; tail square, of
a deep and bright steel-blue. Inhabits Brazil.

The two last are very closely allied, the distinctions will be
seen in the characters given to the lower parts; they vary
from the character in the square form of the tail.

PL. I. II. VOL. II — 30. C. THALASSINUS, Blue-bellied Saw-
billed Humming-Bird. — T. thalassinus, Phil. Mag.
I/Anais, Less. Troch. Iv. Ivi. Ivii. ; Sup. iii. Gene-
ral colour emerald-green, with golden and steei-blue
reflections ; gorget extends upon the side of the neck

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID/E. 1J5

in tufts ; tail rounded, with a deep steel-blue band ;
bill serrated. Inhabits the table land of Mexico.
Placed by Lesson in Ramphodon ; but with which we do not
consider it allied.

PL. III. VOL. II — 31. C. GIGAS, Gigantic Humming-Bird.
— -Oiseau-mouche Geant, Vieill. Gall. pi. 180. — O.
mouche Patagon. Less. o. m. iii. Above brownish-
green ; under parts light red, shaded with green on
the flanks ; tail very ample, forked. Inhabits Chili.
The largest species known, it has the dull colouring of Phae-
thornis.

32. C. LEUCOGASTER. — Ornismya albiventris, Less. Col.
Ixxiii. Above, golden-green ; throat and breast white,
the latter shaded into pale green ; forehead and
cheeks of a deeper shade than the upper parts ; tail
brown, very slightly forked. Inhabits Guiana.

33. C. ARSINOE, Arsinoe Humming- Bird. — L'Arsinal, jtas.

O. M. Supp. xxviii. Above golden-green ; front and
under parts emerald-green ; secondaries and wings
bright reddish-chestnut ; tail purplish-brown, very
slightly forked. Inhabits Mexico.

34. C. (ENONE, (Enone Humming-Bird. — L'OEnone, Less.

O. M. Supp. xxx. Head, neck, and throat rich blue ;
back, breast, belly and shoulders golden-green ; rump
and tail brilliant orange; tail considerably forked.
Inhabits Trinite.

35. C. ? MACROURUS, Swallow-tailed Humming-Bird. — Tro-

chilus macrourus, Gmel. F. forficatus, Lath. Ornis-
mya hirundinacea, Less. Plumage of a bluish-black,
with steel-blue reflections ; tail indigo-blue, very
deeply forked ; shafts of the quills broad, as in Cam-
pylopterus.

Flaced by Lesson in a division named " Campylopterea Hi-
rundeDes."

SYNOPSIS OF THE TUOCHILID^E.

. PH^THORNIS. Bill elongated, arched.
Tail lengthened, graduated, or cuneated.

Centre tail-feathers of the male very long.

Pi s. XXVI. & XXVII. VOL. II.— 1. P. SUPERCILIOSUS, Su-
percilious Humming-Bird. — Lath. Le Brin blanc.
Buff. Le Colibri brin blanc, Less. Col. vi. and vii.
Above, of a bronzed green gold ; a reddish-white line
above, another beneath the eye ; lower parts brown-
ish-white ; tail brown, beneath tipped with white.
Female with a white stripe beneath the eye; tail
chestnut, barred with black, tipped with white, the
centre feather only green. Inhabits Guiana, Brazil.

PL. XXVIII. VOL. II — 2. P. EURYNOMUS, Scaly Backed
Humming-Bird. — Le Colibri Eurynome, Less. Col.
xxxi. Feathers of the back golden-green, fringed
with reddish ; of the head deep green edged with ru-
fous; of the throat brown, edged with yellowish-
white; lower parts grey; tail black at the base, tips
white, centre feathers green for the length of the
others. Inhabits Brazil.

3. P. GUY, Guy's Humming-Bird.— Le Guy, Lets. Troch.

xliv. Above brilliant green ; beneath grey, with the
throat, vent and stripe through the eye and under
the auriculars ochreous-yellow ; under mandible
reddish-orange. Inhabits

4. P. INTERMEDIUS, Intermediate Humming-Bird. — Le

Colibri intermediate, Less. Troch. xix. Head, neck,
vent, wings, and tail, brown ; rump, belly, and vent,
reddish-orange ; auriculars black, with a rufous stripe
above and below ; centre tail-feathers surpass the tip
about half an inch. Inhabits Brazil.

5. P. BOURCIERII, Bourcier's Humming-Bird. — Le Colibri

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID.E. 17

faux brins blancs, Less, xviii. Tint of the upper parti
reddish-green, each feather being fringed with ru-
fous : throat white, remaining under parts reddish-
white ; tail blackish-green, tips of the outer feathers
reddish, centre feathers extend two inches, white for
half an inch at the tip. Inhabits Brazil.

6. P. SOUALIDUS, Brown Brazilian Humming- Bird.— Co-

libri terne, Temm. Pi. Col. cxx. Colibri a vestiture
terne, Less. Troch. viii. Above golden-green ; be-
neath grey ; stripe above and below the eye very con-
spicuous ; tail deep brown, each feather tipped with
white. Inhabits Brazil.

7. P. LONGUEMAREUS, Longuemare's Humming-Bird.—

Le Colibri Longuemare, Less. Troch. ii. and Ixii.
Crown deep brown ; back and sides of the neck brown-
ish-red, tinged with green ; below reddish-yellow ;
tail brown, centre feathers tipped with white, and
almost regularly graduated. Inhabits Cayenne.
PL. IV. VOL. I.— 8. P. RUFIGASTER, Red-bellied Humming-
Bird. — Colibri a ventre rousatre, Temm. PI. Col. cxx. ;
Less. Troch. ix. Crown grey, superciliary streak pure
white; upper parts chestnut-red; lower parts of a
paler shade of the same colour, nearly white at the
chin ; tail brown, tipped with reddish-white. Inha-
bits Brazil.

9. P. DAVIDIANUS, David's Humming-Bird. — Le Colibri
David, Less, Troch. xiii. Deep brown above; be-
neath of a paler shade ; auriculars form a dark patch
on the cheek ; centre tail-feathers not far surpassing
the others ; form more slender than the last. Inha-
bits Cayenne.

In the following birds, the tail is regularly graduated, as in the
female of the preceding species. No. 7. may naturally lead
to T. hirsutus, &c. by its lengthened but nearly graduated
from.

PL. XXIX. VOL. II — 10. P. HIRSUTUS, Hairy-legged Hum-
ming-Bird.— Trochilus hirsutus, Linn. Golden-green
above, beneath bright chestnut-red; tail chestnut-
red, barred with black at the end, and tipped with
white* Inhabits Brazil.

li

178 SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILHXffi.

11. P. MAZEPPA, Mazeppa Humming-Bird. — Colibri Ma.
zeppa, Less. Troch. iii. Above golden-green, be-
neath pale chestnut ; tail uniform chestnut, barred
with black at the tip, centre feathers golden-green.
Inhabits French Guiana.

PL. XXX.. VOL. II 12. P. SWAINSONII, Swainson's Hum-

ming-Bird. Colibri Swainson, Less. Uroch. Ixvi.
Golden-green above; beneath, chestnut-red; tail
even, chestnut, barred with black and tipped with
white. Inhabits Brazil.

13. P. LEUCURUS, White-tailed Humming-Bird — Lath.
Trochilus leucurus, Less. O. M. xx. Above golden,
green ; throat with a patch of chestnut ; breast gol-
den-green ; belly and vent grey ; tail white, except
the centre feathers which are green. Inhabits
Dutch Guiana, Surinam.

14. P.? SIMPLEX. — Colibri simple, Less. Col. xxiii.
Golden-green above, beneath chestnut; the throat
indistinctly in the form of a gorget, purplish; vent
white; tail nearly equal, but rather hollowed in the
centre, black, outer feathers tipped with white.

This seems to be a bird in immature plumage, and more allied
to Cynanthus. Trochilus multicolor, we have every reason
to think, is a made-up specimen, but would stand here.

15. P.? CHRYSURUS, Yellow-tailed Humming-Bird. -—
Oiseau-mouche chrysure, Ornismya chrysura, Less.
O. M. siipp. iv. Uniform golden-green ; tail red-
dish-yellow, deeper at the tip, rounded. Inhabits
Brazil.

1C. P.? AMAZILI.— Orthorhynchus amazili, Less. Zool de
la Cog. xxxi. Crown, throat and breast, emerald-
green ; upper parts golden-green ; vent reddish,
yellow; tail bright chestnut, nearly square. Inha-
bits Peru.

The last bird Is described as new in Lesson's Zoologie de la
Coquile, and, with the preceding one, is introduced here in
doubt. They shew a strong alliance to both this form and
Cynanthus.

PL. I. VOL. I.— 17. P. NJEVIUS, Spotted Saw-billed Hum-
ming-Bird.—Colibri tachete*, Tcmm. Ramphodon

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILIDJS. 179

maculatum, Less. O. M. i. Above golden green, a
white stripe over each eye ; auriculars chestnut ;
throat, breast, and belly, grey, spotted longitudinal-
ly with brown ; central feathers brownish-green, tip-
ped with pale chestnut, the pale tips occupying more
of the feathers towards the outside; bill straight, ser-
rated. Inhabits mountains of Corevado, in the vi-
cinity of Rio de Janeiro.

This forms the genus Ramphodon of Lesson, including T.
petosophorus and anais, — Heliotryz of Bole.

IV. SUB-FAM. CAMPYLOPTERUS. Bill rather long
and slightly curved. Wings falcated, the shafts or
scapes of the primary quills dilated and compressed*
Tail rounded, or graduated.

PL. XXXIV. VOL. I.— 1. C. LATIPENNIS, The Blue-throat-
ed Humming- Bird. — Trochilus latipennis, Lath.
Swains. Zoo/. Illust. Oiseau-mouche latipenne,
Ornismya latipennis, Less. Troch. 46. Body golden-
green ; gorget brilliant blue ; tail with the four out-
side feathers half white. , Female, beneath grey,
without the gorget. Inhabits Guiana. Tobago.

L C. PAMPA, The Pampa Sabre-wing. — Campylopterus
pampa, Less. supp. xv. Crown in a line above the
eye azure-blue ; upper part of the body green, under
parts pale grey ; tail wedge-shaped, green, outer fea-
thers, dark at the tips. Inhabits Paraguay.

3, C. FALOATUS, Blue-bellied Sabre- wing.—-Sickle- winged
Humming- Bird, Swain. Zoo/. Illust. Oiseau-mouche
a remiges en faucilles, Less. O. M. xxxvi. Upper
parts, flanks and vent golden-green ; throat, breast

180 SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILID^.

and belly deep-blue; tail even, chestnut. red, tips
black. Inhabits Brazil.

4. C. CIRROCHLORIS, Grcj-and-green Sabre-wing.^—Tro-

chilus cirrochloris, Vieill. Diet, des Scien. Nat.
Oiseau-mouche modeste, Ornismya simplex, Lest.
O. M. xxxiii. Above, of a dull green, tinged with
brown ; beneath, grey, whitish on the vent. Inhabits
Santa- Paulo, Brazil.

Allied to the female of C. latlpennis. Perhaps a female, the
male of which is unknown.

5. C. ? CLEMENTLY — Oiseau-mouche Clemence, Less.

O. M. xxx. Above brownish-green, clearest on the
centre of the back ; lower parts of a paler tint ; a
white streak behind the eye ; throat occupied by a
deep blue gorget; tail black, two outside feathers
tipped with white. Inhabits Mexico.

The quills of this bird are very strong, without being broad,
like the true Campylopterus.

V. SUB-FAM. LAMPORNIS. Bill arched. Tail short,
nearly even, (rounded, or slightly forked).

PL. XX. VOL. II. — 1. L. MANGO, The Mango Humming
Bird. — Trochilus mango, Linn. Lath. Less. xiiL xiv.
Above, golden-green ; beneath, with a ventral stripe
of deep black, changing to brilliant blue on the sides ;
vent with a white band ; tail purple-brown, with green
reflections. Young, white beneath, with the ventral
atripe dull black, Inhabits Jamaica, Tobago,

PL. XXXII. XXXIII. VOL. I.— 2. L. GRAMINEUS, Black-
breasted Humming-Bird. — Colibri du Mexique, Buff.

SYNOPSIS OF THE TROCHILIDJE. 181

Black-breasted Humming-Bird, Lath.' Le Haitien,
Less. Col. xii. Above, golden-green ; throat with an
emerald-green gorget ; centre of the breast and belly
black ; vent with a white band ; tail purple-brown,
with green reflections. Young, with the under parts
white, from the throat dull black, tail tipped with
white. Inhabits Guiana, St Domingo.

3. L. VIRIDIS — Colibri cyanure. Trochilus viridis, Less.

Col. xi. Plumage of the body uniform dull emerald-
green ; tail deep steel-blue. Inhabits Porto- Rico.

4. L. AURULENTUS, The Aurulent Humming-Bird. Tro-

chilus aurulentus, Less. Col. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix.
Aurulent Humming-Bird, Lath. Above, golden-
green ; throat with a gorget, topaz-yellow ; belly deep
black ; vent with a white band ; tail brownish- purple,
with green reflections, in form rather forked. Fe-
male and young beneath grey ; no gorget, tail round-
ed, outer feathers tipped with white. Inhabits Por-
to Rico.

5. L. HOLOSERICEUS, Green Black-bellied Humming-Bird.

— Trochilus holoseiiceus, Lo^A. Green Black-bellied
Humming-Bird, Edw. xxxvi. Le Caraibe, Less. Col.
xx. Above, golden-green ; gorget emerald-green ;
breast with a blue transverse band ; belly deep brown-
ish-black; tail steel-blue. Inhabits St Thomas,
and Porto Rico.

PL. XXIV. XXV. VOL. II.— 6. L. FELLA, Topaz-throated
Humming-Bird. — Linn., Shaw, Lath. Le Colibri
topaz, Less. Col. i. iii. iv. v. Plumage rich brown-
ish-orange, varied with lake-coloured reflections ;
gorget emerald green, varying to topaz-yellow, sur-
rounded by a shade of black ; tail chestnut. Female
bright green, the gorget brown. Inhabits Guiana.

PL. XXX. Voc. I — 7. L. MELLIVORUS, White-collared
Humming-Bird.— -Edw. xxxv. iMth. Le Jacobine,
Buff. Less. O. M. xxi. xxii. Head, throat, and gorget
deep brilliant blue; the under parts, and a collar
round the back, pure white ; upper parts and sides
green ; tail pure white, with a narrow band of white
at the tip. Female, above green, beneath greyish-

182 SYNOPSIS OP THE TROCHILIDuE.

white, the centre of each feather darkest ; tail green
at the base, the outer feathers barred with blue and
tipped with white. Inhabits Surinam and many of
the West Indian islands.

•8. L. NIGER, Black Humming-Bird. — Swalnson. T. lu-
gubris, Le demi-deuil, Less. O. M. xxxviii. xxxix.
Plumage deep black, tinged with blue on the head,
and green on the back and shoulders ; vent and tail
white, the latter barred at the tip with black. Fe-
male, with a brown tinge pervading the plumage ;
tail black, with the outer web of the outer feather
only white. Inhabits Brazil.

3. L. SwAiNSONi^Swainson's Humming-Bird — Le Swain-
son, Less. O. M. Ixx. Above, belly and under tail-co-
verts, golden-green ; throat and breast emerald- green,
centre of the breast and upper part of the belly with
a deep black patch ; tail forked, bluish-black, tinged
with green above. Inhabits Brazil.
Described from Lesson's plate and description.

PL. XIX. VOL. II — 10. L. BUFFONII, Button's Humming-
Bird — Le Colibri Buffon, Less. Troch. v. Golden-
green, the plumage tinted with reddish on the cheeks
and rump; feathers on the head and breast scaly-
formed; under tail-coverts white, tail of a uniform
steel-blue, slightly forked.

Lesson arranges this bird with T. svpercUionts. The form of
the tail is, however, very different, and the plumage much
nearer the division of Lampornis, which contains T. niger,
&c.

PL. IV. VOL. II — 11. L. C(ELIGENA, The Purple Humming-
Bird — LaCceligene,Z,m. Troch. liii. Above, purple,
with green and violet reflections ; beneath, grey, the
feathers of the throat and neck vith a dark centre.
The tail ample, slightly forked. Inhabits Mexico.
These form Lesson's Race Let Caraibes,—\.hc genus Anthra-
cothorcu, Boi&

g^sTu^r

O 'J

QliF

INDEX

TO THB

HUMMING-BIRDS.

Vol. Page

I/AMETHYSTE du Mexique . . ii. 93

a queue £gale . . ii. 86

Amethystine Humming- Bird . . ii. 90

L'Anais . . . . ii. 73

L'Arlequin . . . . i. 185

Atala . . . . . ii. 116

Audebert's Humming-Bird . . . ii. 113

Audenet's do. . . . . i. 159

Aurulent do. . . ii. 131

Avoset-billed do. . . . i. 122

Azure-crowned do. . . . i. 143

Bar- tailed Humming-Bird . . . ii. 138

Black-breasted do. . . . i. 187

Black-breasted do. . . . i. 189

Black-capped do. . . . ii. 134

Blue-bellied Saw-billed do. . ii. 73

Blue-fronted do. . . . ii. 112

Blue-green do. . . . . . i. 1 39

Blue-throated do. . . ii. 105

Blue-throated Sabre- Wing . . . i. 190

Bourcier's Humming-Bird . . ii. 150

LeBrinblanc . . . . ii. 145

Brown Brazilian Humming-Bird . . ii. 151

184 INDEX.

Vol. Page

Brown-crowed Humming-Bird . . ii. 133

Buffon's do. . . . . ii. 124

Campylopterus latipennia . . . i. 1 90

LeCaraibe ..... ii. 129

Le Coeligene . . . . ii. 79

Le Colibri & brin blano . . . . ii. 145

Buffou . . . ii. 124

a collier rouge . . . ii. 130

cyanure . . . . ii. 128

David . . . ii. 153

Eurynome . . . ii. 147

intennediaire . . . ii. 149

Longuemare . . . ii. 152

du Mexique . . . i. 187

a plastron noir . . . ii. 126

Provost jeune . . . ii. 133

ruficol . . . ii. 130

tachete Trochilus naevius . . i. 119

terne . . . ii. 151

topaz . . . ii. 141

a ventre roux . . . i. 127

a ventre rouse . . ii. 153

a ventre rousatre . . . i. 127

& ventre rousatre . . . ii. 153

a vestiture terne . . . ii. 151

vert et noir . . . ii. 129

Cora Humming Bird . . . i. 173

Crimso^-rumped do. . . . ii. 1 1 5

Cynanthus lucifer . . , ii. 105

David's Humming Bird . . . . ii. 153

Delalande's do. . . . i. 145

female . . . . ii. 85

Descriptions . . . ii. 73

Double- crested Humming-Bird, male . . i. 166

female . i. 168

INDEX. 185

Vol. Page

Dupont's Humming-Bird . . . i. 175

Duke of Rivoli's do. . . . ii. 122

L'Erythronote . . . . ii. 115

Even-tailed Amethystine Humming- Bird . it 86

Evening do. . . . . i. 171

Fan-tailed Humming-Bird . . . ii. 138

Golden-green Humming-Bird . . . i. 141

Green Black-bellied do. ... ii. 129

Green do ..... ii. 128

Green-throated do. . . . . i. 189

Gigantic do. . . . . ii. 76

Gould's do. . . . ... ii. 101

Guy's do. ..... ii. 148

LeGuy ii. 148

Half-tailed Humming-Bird . . i. 177

Le Haitien . . . . i. 187

jeune age . . . i. 189

Harlequin Humming-Bird . . . i. 185

Le Hausse-col blanc . . . » i. 163

Le Hausse-col dore . . . ii. 131

Humming-Bird . . . i. 129

Le Huppe-col . . . . i. 156

INTRODUCTION . . . . i. 93

Do. ..... ii. 67

Intermediate Humming-Bird . . ii. 149

La Jacobine . . . . . i. 183

LangsdorfTs Humming-Bird , . ii. 95

Lesser Forked- tailed do. ... i. 169

LINNAEUS, Memoir of . . i. 25

Little Amethystine Humming-Bird . ii. 88

Loddiges'do. . ii. 83

186 INDEX.

Vol Page

Long-tailed Black-capped Humming- Bird . ii. 134

Longuemare's do. . . . . ii. 152

Magnificent Humming-Bird . . . i. 163

Do. Female . . . i. 165

Mango Humming-Bird . . . ii. 126

Mcllisuga Surinamensis . . . ii. 1 1 1

LeNatterer ..... i. 154

Neuwied's Humming-Bird . . . ii. 115

Nootka do. ..... ii. 97

Northern do. . . . i. 129

LaNounaKaoli ii. 140

L'Oiseau a gorge rouge du Brazil . . ii. 91

mouche amethyste . . ii. 90

Anna . . . i. 137

Arsenne . . . i. 181

Audebert . . . ii. 113

Audinet i. 159

avocette . . . i. 122

a bee recourbe* . . i. 124

a Couronne Violette . . i. 150

a gorge blanch . . ii. 1 1 9

a queue fourchue . . i. 171

a queue singuliere . . i. 177

a raquettes . . . ii. 137

a tete d'azur . . . i. 143

atetenoir . . . ii. 134

aux Huppee*s d'or . . i. 166

barbeblue . . ii. 105

cora i. 173

corrinne . . . ii. 120

de Loddiges . . . ii. 83

coailte . . . ii. 118

loussonntf . . . i. 154

g&ut . . . ii. 76

INDEX. 187

Vol. Page

L'Oiseau-mouche glaucope . . ii. 1 12

Gould . . ii. 101

latipenne . . . i. 190

magnifique . . . i. 163

Mauge . . ii. Ill

mediastin . . . ii. 117

patagon . . . ii. 76

petasophore . . . i. 152

petasophore. Female. . ii. 107

Rivolii ii. 122

rubis . . ii. 91

Saphir i. 179

sapho . . ii. 138

euperbe . . ii. 120

verazur . . . i. 139

Vesper i. 171

Vieillot . . i. 161

violet a queue fourchue . i. 169

Zemes . . . i. 175

Wied . . . ii. 115

Ornismya amethystoides . . ii. 88

Anna . .„ i. 137

Arsennaii . . . i. 181

Atala . . . ii. 116

Audenetii . . . i. 159

avocetta . . . . i. 122

coeligena . . . ii. 79

cephalatra . . . ii. 134

chrysolopha . . . i. 166

Colubris . . . i. 129

cora ..... i. 173

cyanea . . . i. 139

cyanoeephala . . . i. 143

cyanopogon .... ii. 105

Delalandii . . . i. 145

Delalandii. Female . . . ii. 85

Dupontii . . . i. 175

188 INDEX.

Vol. Page

Omismya erythronotos . . . ii. 115

furcata . . . i. 169

Gouldii . . . . ii. 101

heteropygia . . . i. 177

montana . . . . ii. 93

moschita . . / . i. 147

Nattererli . . . i. 154

Nuna . . . . ii. 140

ornata . . . i. 156

orthura ... ii. 86

p£tasophore . . . . i. 152

prasina i. 141

Rivolii . . . ii. 122

rubinea . . . ii. 91

Sapho . . . ii. 138

sappharina . . . i. 179

sephanoides . . . i. 150

strumaria . . . i. 163

Temminckii . . . . ii. 118

tricolor . . . . ii. 103

tristis . . . . ii. 76

vesper . . . i. 171

Vieillotii . . . i. 161

Waglerii . . . ii. 109

Orthorliynchus Cora . . . i. 173

sephanoides . . . i. 150

Ourissia . . . . ii. 1 1 1

L'Orvert i. 141

PENNANT, Memoir of . ... ii. 1

Le Petit Amethyste . . . . ii. 88

Le Petit rubis de la Caroline . . . i. 129

Plastron noir Buffon ii. 126

Le Plumet bleu . . . i. 145

Do. Female . . . . ii. 85

Purple Humraing-Bird • . . ii. 79

INDEX. 189

Vol. Page

Racket-tailed do. . . . , . . ii. 137

Ramphodon nsevius . . . . i 119

Ramphodon 1'Anais . . . . ii. 73

Le Ramphodon tachete', Ramphodon maculatum i. 119

La Raquette empennee . . . ii. 1 36

Recurved-billed Humming- Bird . . . i. 124

Red-bellied do. . . . . . ii. 153

Red-throated do. . . . i. 147

Rough-legged Racket-tailed do. . . ii. 136

Ruby-crested do. . . . i. 147

Le Rubis topaz . . . . i. 147

Ruby-throated Humming-Bird . . . ii. 91

Ruff-necked Honey-sucker . % . ii. 97

Ruff-necked or Nootka Humming-Bird . ii. 97

Rufous-bellied do. . . . i. 127

Sapphire- throated Humming-Bird . . i. 179

Sapphire and Emerald do. . , . . ii. 110

Scaly-backed do. . . . ii. 147

Scaly- throated do. . . , . ii. 118

Selasphorus rufus . . . ii. 97

Spotted Saw-billed Humming-Bird . . . i. 119

Le Stokes . . . . ii. 81

Superb Humming-Bird . . . ii. 120

Supercilious do. .... ii. 145

Le Swainson . . . . ii. 114

Trochilus albicollis . . . . ii. 119

amethystinus . . . . ii. 90

amethystoides . . ii. 88

Anna . . . i. 137

'Atala. . . . ii. 116

Audinetti . . . i. 159

aurulentus . . . . ii. 131

avocetta . . . i. 122

bicolor . . . . ii. 110

bilophus . . . . i. 166

190 INDEX.

• VoL Page

Trochilus Bourcierii . . . H. 150

Buffonii . . . ii. 124

cceruleus . . . ii. 113

chalybeus . . . i. 161

cceligena . . . . ii. 7P

coiubris . . . i. 129

cora . . . . i. 173

cornutus . . . i. 166

cyaneus . . ^ i. 139

cyanogenys . . . . ii. 115

Davidianus . . . . ii 153

Delalandii . . . i. 145

Delalandii. Female . . ii. 85

Dupontii . . . . i. 175

enicurus . . . i. 177

erythronotus . . . ii. 115

Eurynomus . . . ii. 147

frontalis . . . ii. 112

furcatus . . . i. 169

gigas . . . . ii. 76

glaucopis . . . . ii, 112

Gouldii . . . ii. 101

gramincus . . . . i. 187

gularis . . . . i. 189

Guy ..... ii. 148

holoscriccus . . . . ii. 129

hypophseus . . . ii. 133

intermedius . . . . ii. 149

Langsdorflii . . . ii. 95

latipenn's . . i. 190

leucotis . . . . i. 181

Icucurus . . ii. 130

Lodigesii . . . ii. 83

Longuemarc's . . . . ii. 152

lucifer . . . ii. 105

magnificus . . . i. 165

Maogo . . . ii. 125

INDEX. 191

Vol. Page

Trochilus Maugerii . . . ii. Ill

mellivorus , . . . i. 183

mesoleucus . . . . ii. 117

montana . . . ii. 93

xnoschitus i. 147

multicolor . . . * i 185

naeviua . . . i. 119

Nuna ii. HO

ornatus . . . i. 156

ortlmra . . . ii. 86

Ourissia . . . ii. Ill

' pella . . . ii. 141

pella, var. . . , ii. 144

petasopliorus . . i. 152

petasophorus. Female . . ii. 107

polytmus . . . . ii. 134

Platurus . . . ii. 137

prasina . . . i. 141

Prevostii . » . ii. 133

quadricolcr . . . i. 143

recurvirostris . . . i. 124

Rivolii . . . ii. 122

^bineus . . . ii. 91

rufigaster . . . i. 127

Rufigaster . . . ii. 153

rufus . . . ii. 97

sapphirinus . . . i. 179

scutatus . . . i. 154

gephanoides . . . i. 150

Bparganurus . . ii. 138

squalidus . ... ii. 151

squamosus . . . . ii. 118

Stokesii . . . ii. 81

superbus . . . ii. 120

fiuperciliosus . . . . ii. 145

Swainsonii . . . . ii. 114

tlialassinus . . ii. 73

192 INDEX.

Vol. Page

Trochilus tricolor . . . ii. 103

Underwoodii . . ii. 136

vesper . . . i. 171

viridis . . . ii. 128

Waglerii . . . . ii. 109

Wiedii . . . . ii. 115

Tufted-necked Humming-Bird . • . i» 156

Topaz-throated do. . . ii. 141

Topaz-throated do. . . ii. 144

Vieillot's Humming- Bird . . . . i. 161

Violet Fork-tailed do, . . . i. 169

Violet-crowned do. . . . i. 150

Violet-tufted do. . . . L 152

Do. Female , . . . ii. 107

Wagler's Humming- Bird . . ii. 109

Wedge-tailed Amethystine do. . ii. 93

White-eared do. . . . i. 181

White-bellied do. . . . i. 183

White-collared do. . . . i. 183

White-striped do. . . . ii. 117

White-throated do. . . . ii. 119

White-tailed do. . . ii. 130

END OP VOL. II.