872 CENTRAL CHILE. [chap, xii 



may be compared to that of Syrphus amongst flies, and Sphinx 

 among moths ; but whilst hovering over a flower, it flaps its 

 wings with a very slow and powerful movement, totally different 

 from that vibratory one common to most of the species, which 

 produces the humming noise. I never saw any other bird, where 

 the force of its wings appeared (as in a butterfly) so powerful in 

 proportion to the weight of its body. When hovering by a 

 flower, its tail is constantly expanded and shut like a fan, 

 the body being kept in a nearly vertical position. This action 

 appears to steady and support the bird, between the slow 

 movements of its wings. Although flying from flower to flower 

 in search of food, its stomach generally contained abundant re- 

 mains of insects, which I suspect are much more the object of its 

 search than honey. The note of this species, like that of nearly 

 the whole family, is extremely shrill. 



