THE IBIS. 



THIRD SERIES. 



No. VIII. OCTOBER 1873. 



XL. — The Humming -birds of the West Indies. By D. G-. 

 Elliot, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. 



The geographical distribution of the various species of the 

 great Family Trochilidse inhabiting the different islands of the 

 West Indies never having been separately worked out, I have 

 thought it would be interesting if a list of the Humming-birds 

 now known to be found in that portion of the world were pub- 

 lished, with the habitats of each, so far as ascertained, and that, 

 the attention of ornithologists having been directed to the sub- 

 ject, additional light might be thrown upon it by futui-e 

 researches. 



For many years we have had a more or less perfect knowledge 

 of the avifauna of certain of the larger islands, although, even 

 of these, but few have had the advantage of the presence of 

 a resident practical ornithologist. Of the large number of 

 the small islands, as regards their fauna, we at present actually 

 know nothing. It is not necessary for me to recapitulate here 

 the extent of our information and the means by which it has 

 been acquired, that having been already accurately done by 

 Mr. Sclater in his paper on the birds of Santa Lucia, pub- 



SER. HI. — VOL. II. 2 C 



