or observed in the Republic of Honduras, ^c. Ho 



29. Brown Humming-bird. {Amazillia corallirostris.) 

 This Hummiug-bird, of very plain plumage, is the only one 

 which I observed in any niimbers, and that only in certain 

 localities. There were some in Tigre Island, and I saw them 

 hex'e and there in our march across the country. I found them 

 most abundant near Comayagua, 1900 feet above the sea. They 

 were very plentiful on the plain near the town, and not far 

 from the Canipo Santo, where the ground was tolerably open, 

 and the cactus grew abundantly. There I observed hundreds 

 hovering about the flowers of the cactus. 



Upon the whole I saw very few Humming-birds in Honduras, 

 and fewest on the Pacific Slope. They are probably more nu- 

 merous on the Atlantic side, where there is more vegetation 

 and more flowers, and the atmosphere is more humid. In 

 Tigre Island there were but few flowers in the woods, and 

 Humming-birds were scarce. They were usually in lofty 

 trees, where it was very difficult to see them, and still more 

 so to find them when shot ; for they fall into the thick bushes, 

 and are so small that a leaf covers them ; besides, if not 

 picked up at once, a big ant may carry them oiF. Many that 

 I shot I was unable to find. It is also by no means easy 

 to kill them so as to obtain good specimens. I have never 

 found anything but very small shot answer this purpose; and 

 even then one may have to kill several before obtaining a 

 specimen that w'ill yield a really good skin. When in Jamaica, 

 I made several experiments in shooting Humming-birds. I 

 could get no fine shot (which, by the way, is an article very 

 difficult to obtain except in large towns), and was therefore 

 obliged to look out for an efficient substitute. I first tried rape- 

 seed ; but it did not answer : it was too light, and had no power 

 of penetrating, even with a large quantity of powder and at the 

 shortest distance. Certainly, I sometimes killed birds when I 

 used it ; but I suspect that it was only when they were struck by 

 the wadding, for they were so much damaged as to be useless. 

 For every one I killed, at least three went ofi" unhurt, although 

 only a few feet from the muzzle. Then I tried emery powder, 

 and that answered tolerably well. I killed some small birds 

 with it, and that without materially damaging their plumage. 



