I I 2 BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 



as none were taken far inland, and was quite abundant in the neigh- 

 borhood of Long Bay Key, as was also D. cvelynce. 



On the 13th of January, my friend, Mr. George E. Fowlc, Jr., 

 found the nest of this species near Long Bay Key. It was attached 

 to a small trailing vine, which was suspended from the branch of a 

 paw-paw tree, about four feet from the ground. The nest was close 

 to the branch, and contained two young birds, apparently about a 

 week old. 



The young were dark slate-color above, with the under parts 

 flesh-color, having a slight down upon the back; the bill was fully 

 as broad as it was long, having the upper mandible dark, and the 

 lower light colored. 



Mr. Gould, in his magnificent monograph of this family, restricted 

 the ranee of S. ricordi to the island of Cuba, and all other writ- 

 ers have done the same. In Ramon de la Sagra's " Histoire de 

 Cuba" is to be found the following note regarding this species: 

 "Far from migrating, like the Red Humming-bird {Trochilus cobi- 

 bris), this is one of the stationary inhabitants of the island of Cuba, 

 which it never leaves, and of which it is one of the most beautiful 

 ornaments. The inhabitants (to imitate, doubtless, the sound which 

 it makes while flying) give it the name of Zun-ztm. Interesting in 

 its plumage and habits, its works likewise are not without merit. 

 Artificially built, and often composed of wool from the silk which 

 surrounds the seed of Asclepias anasarica, its nest is attached to 

 the forks of young twigs; like that of all the Trochilidce, it con- 

 tains only one or two eggs, from which the young are produced, 

 which, at their birth, have the beak very short." 



