58 THE HUMMIXG-BIRD OF 



cheeks of this wonderful bird are a purple- 

 green, with pink or violet spots, according 

 to the light. The under part of the body 

 is pure white, with round spots of the 

 richest golden-green, that contrast with 

 the snowy ground on which they are 

 marked. 



Nothing can exceed the splendour of 

 this magnificent bird. Indeed, every de- 

 scription falls short of the reality. Tt is as 

 if Nature in this remote spot excelled her- 

 self. The name by which the brilliant gem 

 is known is "Stokes's Humming-Bird. " 



The Spanish sailor gave his own name 

 to the island, and called it Juan Fer- 

 nandez. He was allowed to possess the 

 newly-discovered spot, and even made an 

 attempt to colonize it. But the few fami- 

 lies who went to settle there did not re- 

 main. They soon abandoned it, and it 

 was uninhabited as before. 



