94 PASSERES. — TROCHILID^. 



to bring them on again, with the same result. 

 In their tortuous and rapid evolutions, the light 

 from their ruby necks would now and then flash 

 in the sun with gem-like radiance; and as they 

 now and then hovered motionless, the broadly ex- 

 panded tail, — whose outer feathers are crimson- 

 purple, but when intercepting the sun's rays trans- 

 mit orange-coloured light, — added much to their 

 beauty. A little Banana Quit, that was peeping 

 among the blossoms in his own quiet way, seemed 

 now and then to look v^ith surprise on the com- 

 batants ; but when the one had driven his rival 

 to a longer distance than usual, the victor set 

 upon the unoifending Quit, who soon yielded the 

 point, and retired, humbly enough, to a neighbour- 

 ing tree. The war, for it was a thorough cam- 

 paign, a regular succession of battles, lasted fully 

 an hour, and then I was called away from the post 

 of observation. Both of the Humming-birds ap- 

 peared to be adult males. I have alluded to the 

 preference which different species appear to mani- 

 fest, for different blossoms ; I may add that I have 

 observed Mellisuga liumilis come and suck the 

 flowers of a Cashew tree {Anacardium), without 

 noticing those of the Malay apple close by, while 

 Mango seems to despise the former for the latter. 



The lustrous glow reflected from the sides of 

 the neck of the adult male, may be unperceived on 

 a careless examination. In such Humming-birds 

 as I have examined, (perhaps in all,) the iridescence 

 of those portions of the plumage that are change- 

 able, is splendid in the ratio of the acuteness of 



