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THE AVOCET HUMMING-BIRD. 



eye in its breadth, and terminated with a small tuft of violet-blue ; below the black runs a 

 luminous green line. The under parts of the body are snowy white. 



CAYENNE F .\\SY.-IfelMftrix aurita. 



THE very beautiful bird which has been appropriately named the SUN-GEM inhabits the 

 mountain ranges of Brazil, especially those of Minas Geraes, where it seems, as Mr. Gould 

 poetically remarks, to be a veritable gem sprung out of the mountain and suddenly gifted 

 with life. It may generally be found in the open country in nursery grounds, where it finds 

 abundance of the small flowers on which it feeds. During the rainy season it resorts to the 

 forest, and finds its nourishment in the orchidaceous plants which flourish there in such rich 

 profusion. 



The male bird is remarkable for a very conspicuous crest, which starts from either side 

 of the head, and has gained for the bird the title of Double-crested Humming-bird. The 

 name "cornuta," or horned, refers to this peculiarity. The forehead and crown of the 

 head are azure blue, and the neck fiery crimson at its base, changing to green near the centre, 

 and taking a rich golden radiance at the extremity. The throat, the sides of the face, and 

 the pendent tuft of feathers from the chin are velvety-black. The back is bronze-green, 

 and the wings purple-brown. The two central feathers of the tail are olive-brown and the 

 rest white, edged with the same tint. The breast, sides of the neck, and the upper part of 

 the abdomen are grayish-white, and the remainder of the under surface is bronze-green. 

 The female has nearly as long a tail as the male, but her throat is buffy -white, and she 

 has no crest on the head nor beard hanging from the chin. 



A SINGULAR species is the AVOCET HUMMING-BIRD. It is remarkable for the curious 

 manner in which- the bill is curved upwards at the extremity, after running nearly straight for 

 the greater part of its length. As this formation of beak bears some resemblance to that 

 which is found in the well-known Avocet, the present species has been named the Avocet 

 Humming-bird. When the first specimen of this bird was brought to Europe, the peculiar 

 shape of the beak was thought to be accidental, and owing to pressure against the side of the 

 box in which the bird had been packed ; but it is now clear that the structure is intentional, 



