454 SIEGFRIED BECHER, 



the habils of Tiüchilus Colubris and 1 liave been infünned b\ 

 Mr. Salviii and other thal a similar action cbaracterizes mosl. 

 of the species." 



Über den Flug von Trüchilus colubris heisöl es nucb weiter 

 bei demselben Autor (G o u 1 d I. c. Vol. III): „He [joises or 

 suspends himself on wing for the space of two m- three seconds, 

 so steadily that his wings beoome invisible. 



When he alights, which he frequently does he allways 

 prefers the small dead twigs of a tree or bash where he dresses 

 and arranges his grasstopper. The fliglit of the Hununing birrl 

 fi'om flower to flower greatly resembles that of a bee, but il 

 is so much more rapid that the latter appears a mere loitercr 

 to him." 



Auch ein anderer ornithologischer Klassiker, I. Audu- 

 bon^) (Vol. I\'), bat uns vortreffliche Schilderung der Flug- 

 weise mitgeteilt. So lässt er (p. 200)' Nu fall über Selasphorns 

 rufus berichten: „These were all young birds, and were not 

 vei-y easily disiinguished from those of the common species 

 of the same age. We now for the first time (April 16) saw 

 the males in number, darting, burring, and squeaking in the 

 usiial nuuiiicr of their liibe, but wben engaged in collecting its 

 accListometI sweets in all the energy of life; it seemed like a 

 breathing gem, or magic carbuncle of glowing fire, stretching 

 out its gorgeous ruft, as if to emiilate the sun itself in splen- 

 dour." Über Lam|)Oiiiis (Trochihis) niango wird Dr. Strobel 

 als Gewährsmann angeführt: „So rajjid is their fhght that they 

 seem to outstrip the wind. Almost always on the wing, we 

 scarcely see them in aiiy other position." A u d ii b o n selbst be- 

 merkt über den Flug: ,,lf cominirison iinght enable you to form 

 some tolerable accurate idea of their peculiar mode of fhght 

 and their appearance, when on Ihe wing, I should say that, were 



^) J. Aüdubon, Ttie Birds of America 4 Vol. London 1826—39 II. 

 edit. New York 1839—44. 



