Humming-birds of the West Indies. 347 



lisuga minima, has been enabled to preserve its specific distinct- 

 ness in spite of climatic and other influences, although, since the 

 two islands were established as they now are, other and distinct 

 forms of the same family have asserted themselves within their 

 respective limits. Besides the species just named, St. Domingo 

 contains two others which are not found elsewhere. Porto Eico 

 contributes two species to the family, of which it is the only 

 habitat; and this island mai'ks the south-eastern boundary of the 

 genus Sporadinus. Of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas and Ste. 

 Croix are known the best ; in fact they are about the only ones 

 of which we have any full information. The former of these 

 contains three species of Trochilidse, none of which, however, 

 are peculiar to it. It is, however, the northern limit of the 

 genera Orthorhynchus and Eulampis. Ste. Croix has but two 

 species, which are also inhabitants of other islands. Prof. Sun- 

 devall, in his list of the birds of St. Bartholomew, mentions 

 two species of Trochilidse as indigenous to that island, the 

 Orthorhynchics exilis and Eulampis holosericeus. Prom his de- 

 scription of the former, it would seem to be the 0. ornatus (if the 

 differences pointed out by the describer of that so-called species 

 were not so unsatisfactory as to render it exceedingly difficult to 

 make it out), as he mentions a slight amount of blue on the crest. 

 As to the latter, we might naturally look for it in this island, which 

 is in a direct line with the others inhabited by this species. 



Sombrero, a mere naked rock, contains at times the Eulampis 

 holosericeus, specimens having been collected by Mr. Julien and 

 sent to Mr. Lawrence. Our next point where any members of 

 this family are known to dwell isthesmallislandof Nevis, which 

 contains two species, one of which, the Eulampis jugularis, is also 

 found in Dominica, Martinique, and Santa Lucia, and possibly in 

 the large island of Guadaloupe, although we have no proof of the 

 fact. Dominica possesses three species of Humming-birds, none 

 of which is restricted to it; but between this island and the 

 more southern one of Santa Lucia, appears to be the stronghold 

 of the genus Eulampis, as both this island and the one last named 

 contain the two species comprising the genus. 



Only two species are known in the large island of Martinique, 

 both of which are also inhabitants of Nevis. 



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