468 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 
Among the most formidable enemies of the Zrochilide may be 
reckoned the Monster Spider (AZyge/e avicularia), which spins its web 
round their nests, and devours eggs or young; even the old birds 
are sometimes its victims. Humming-birds are scattered over the 
greater part of South and North America, even as far north as 
Canada ; but in Brazil and Guiana they are most abundant. At least 
500 species are known. Cuvier included them in his genus Colsbr1. 
Mr. Gould has described 300, of which he has actual specimens ; 
MTT MY y] Mon, ws 
| ' IA | hi ue . iS, 
Fig. 188.—Common Tree Creepers. 
these he divides into fifty-two genera. Among the more remarkable 
species we may note the Topaz-throated Trochilus (Z: pella), a 
native of Brazil; the Sickle-winged Humming-bird (7) fadcatus) ; the 
Double-crested Humming-bird (7 cornudus) ; Gould’s Humming-bird 
(Ornismya Gouldii); Cora Humming-bird (Ornismya cora); the 
Giant Humming-bird, which attains the size of the Swallow; the 
Dwarf Humming-bird, whose size does not exceed that of a bee; the 
bar-tailed Humming-bird or Sapho Comet (Cometes sparganurus, Fig. 
187), a native of Eastern Peru; and the Racket-tailed Humming- 
bird, so named from the shape of its tail, which spreads out at the 
extremity in the form of a racket. 
Climbers (Scansores), such as the Tree Creepers, are characterised 
ae 
