THE SUPEECILIOrS HUMMING-BIRD.* 



Tills species is found both in Guiana and Brazil. The bill is long and bent, con- 

 siderably dilated at the base, and, as in all the genus, has the under mandible entering 

 when closed within the upper one ; the base of a bright orange. The upper phnnage of 

 the bird is of a bronzed green ; two reddish white lines mark the checks ; the one more 

 in the shape of a spot above the ej'c, the other in a line from the corner of the mouth ; 

 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 triangidar sharp point ; the long feathers keep the breadtli 

 of the others for the same length, when they suddenly become narrow, and form the 

 distinguishing marks of the male. The colour of the tail is bronzed green, shaded uearl\- 

 to a rich black at the ends, whiidi terminate in a narrow border of white ; the projei'ting 

 ends of the long feathers are also white. 



On prcscniiiig a Inimming-bird to an ordinary observer, the iirst exclamation is, 

 " "What a beautiful creature ! " " ]5ut what large wings it has !" usually follows. Sucli, 

 indeed, is the case, and, in most instances, the size of the wings and strengtli of tluMr 

 quills are entirely dis]>roporti()U('d to our ideas of symmetry in a creature clolhcd willi 

 feathers; but on compai'iiig tlicm witli the other parts of its fnnuc and its necessities, 

 their design and utility are at once apparent. 



The form ot the wings is very similar t<> tliosc of the swift, wliose power of flii'ht is 



* Trdcliilus Siipcrcilio.sus. 



