on the Ornithologii of Guateniala. 39 



from dissection of specimens that the males only of this species 

 have the remarkably strong shafts to the primaries, which are, I 

 believe, peculiar to the genus Campy lop terus. What habit pur- 

 sued by the males and not -by the females necessitates this strange 

 feature ? 



The ilowers of the Banana {Musa) arc much resorted to by 

 this bird. 



56. Cyanomyia cyanocephala, sp. 183. 



Last year in a cypress-tree near the house at Duenas a pair 

 of these birds built their nest. This year on looking I found a 

 branch of the same tree similarly tenanted, the new nest being 

 a few yards only from where it was last year. To get at it I was 

 obliged to cut away the branch, and, though in falling the nest 

 was quite thrown on its side, the eggs, much to my surprise, did 

 not fall out. This I afterwards found was owing to the lip of 

 the nest, which in its natural state turns in considerably. This 

 last week another pair have been building somewhere near the 

 house, and the male bird frequently comes while I am preparing 

 skins in the corridor and takes pieces of cotton almost from 

 under my hand. Yesterday afternoon (Aug. 14) Mr. Wyld 

 caught it making a descent upon some small object in his room. 

 He shut the window and called me. The intruder, who was 

 wearied from fluttering against the window, suffered itself to be 

 caught. In a very few moments its agitation ceased, and it 

 seemed to be taking advantage of its comfortable place in my 

 hand to rest from its fatigues, making no attempt to escape. 

 Before letting it go I procured a piece of sugar, and dipping it 

 in water put it to the tip of its bill. Almost immediately its 

 long tongue was employed in sucking up the liquid. On libe- 

 rating it, it flew to a tree close at hand, and seemed to take no 

 further notice of its late captivity. If its nest is not finished, I 

 have no doubt I shall soon see it again seeking the wool. The 

 wind produced by the wings of these little birds is considergible, 

 as I noticed that while hovering over a large piece of wool the 

 whole surface of the wool was violently agitated. This same 

 bird makes daily visits to the vases of flowers placed in the 



