Ch. VIII. SOUTH AMERICA. 439 



Las a long thick neck, and a head something resem- 

 bling that bird. The bill is straight and thick, and its 

 legs and feet thick and strong. The outward feathers 

 of the wing are of a dark brown, those of the inside 

 of a pure white ; but the other parts of the hody 

 spotted. At the meeting of the wings they have two 

 spurs, projecting to the length of an inch and a half, 

 as their defence. The male and female are insepara- 

 ble, whether flying, or on the ground, where they 

 mostly keep themselves, never taking flight except 

 across a valley, or when pursued. The flesh eats very 

 well, after being kept three or four days to lessen its 

 natural toughness. Tliese birds are also found in 

 places less cold than the mountainous deserts ; but 

 here, indeed, they are something different, having on 

 the forehead a kind of cartilaginous horn ; but both 

 these and the other species have a crest on their head. 

 The srardens of ail kinds in the villages are much 

 frequented by a bird very remarkable both for its 

 smallness and the vivid colours of its feathers. It is 

 generally called picaflores, or flower-peckers, from 

 its hovering over them, and sucking their juices 

 ■without lacerating or so much as disordering them. 

 Its proper name is quinde, though it is also known by 

 tl^.ose of Rabilargo and Lisongcro, and in England by 

 that of humming bird. Its whole body, with its 

 plumage, does not exceed the bignessof a middle-sized 

 nutmeg ; the tail is usually near three times the length 

 of the whole body, yet has but few feathers ; its neck 

 is short ; the head proportionetl, with a very brisk 

 eye ; the bill long and slender, white at the beginning 

 and black at the end : the wings are alsp long and 

 narrow. Most of the body is green, spotted with 

 yellow and blue. Some are higher coloured than 

 others ; and all are variegated with streaks as it were 

 of gold. Of this bird also there are various species, 

 disiinw-uishcd bv their size and colours, 'ibis is 

 ¿thought to be the smallest of all known birds ; the 



Ff^ female 



