454 NATURAL n I STORY OF BIRDS. 



Beside a delicate whistle it emits no sound. Pterophanes temmincJcii has a flight 

 very similar to the last species, and moves tlie wings slowly showing the blue coloring 

 to great effect. It has been observed at elevations of 13,000 to 14,000 feet where 

 there are no flowers, 8wec])ing along the grass searching for insects. The skin has a 

 musky smell, strongest when the bird is in the flesh. Once one was observed to 

 attack a large hawk and drive it away from its feeding grounds. 



Heliodoxa, Ziainpraster, JEugenia, L'roc/troa, Eugenes, titernochjta, lolama, i 'lyto- 

 Iwtna, and JPhceolaina are a group of genera witii species more or less related to each 

 other. They arc generally birds of largo size, many of very brilliant coloration, with 

 rather long stout bills, and, as a rule, with the feathers of the forehead projecting onto 

 the culmen and covering the nostrils. lolama lehiteli/ana is a very fine species with 

 all the upper surface decj) grass-green, and a glittering spot on the forehead. The 

 under parts are jet black, save a broad band of violet on the throat. It is found at 

 Cosnipato, Peru, and frequents the flowering ])lants at the tops of the highest trees in 

 the depths of the forest, keeping nearly always out of gun-shot. It h.as a very power- 

 ful flight, and goes from flower to flower witii wonderful rapidity. Another more 

 beautiful bird is Eugenia imperatrix, from Ecuador, with the forehead and chin bi'il- 

 liant metallic green, u])per parts grass-green, exceedingly luminous when viewed from 

 behind, and a metallic violet spot on the throat. This handsome bird inh:ibits the 

 thick forests at about four thousand feet of elevation, and feeds from the beautiful 

 flowers of an Alstrasmei'ia, which hang from the extremity of this twining plant. 

 The genus Pcmoplites contains three species clothed in brilliant metallic colors, agree- 

 ing in liaving their u]iiH'r ])arts gi-een, but their under jiarts are clothed in strongly 

 contrasted colors of diverse hues. Perhajis the most brilliant of the species is P. 

 jardini, from Ecuador, with the crown and under parts shining violet blue, and the 

 upper parts metallic bluish-green. The P. tiiaif/tewsi is very different, having the 

 under jiarts deep cliestnut-red, and upper parts metallic golden-green. This is said to 

 be a most pugnacious species, and when an indiviilual alights upon a tree he will not 

 permit any other humming-bird to ap])roach the flowers upon it. They hurl them- 

 selves against each other in the air like cocks, and pursue all others of the tribe in 

 their vicinity. It is met with as high as 10,000 feet above the sea, and its flight is 

 short, the bird frequently perching. 



Petaso2)hora includes another small group of very different appearance from the 

 last. Of rather large size, and greatly resembling each other in plumage, the species 

 are distinguished liy their metallic-blue ear-coverts, metallic-green scale-like breasts, 

 and broad bluish-green barred tails. The P. annis feeds upon insects which it seizes 

 in the air, in the most agile manner, snatching them in all directions, e.veeuting at the 

 same time most graceful movements. At times it launches itself into the air from its 

 perch, sings a short simple song, and returns like an arrow to its original jiosition, 

 repeating this several times but always returning to this same pface. It lives at alti- 

 tudes varying between r),000 and 0,000 feet. Two birds with ]iuro white tails tip))ed 

 with purplish-brown form the genus 7^/on's«_(7rt. In geiural fdiin they resemble the 

 next genus, C/iafi/hutrt, the members of which differ from all known liuniniing-birds 

 by the great develoj)ment of their jilunie-like under tail-coverts, which jieeuliarity 

 exists in both sexes. The males are clothed in green, most luminous on the lower 

 surface, one species being an exception, and having this ]>.art blue. The lower tail- 

 coverts are white excejit in one species which has them black. They are natives of 

 Central America, Venezuela, and Columbia. 



