COEA SHEAR-TAIL HUMMING-BIRD. 91 



named after precious stones ; such as the 

 emerald, the topaz, and the ruby, which 

 their flashing phimage resembles. The 

 bird just mentioned has given to it the 

 musical name of Cora — a name very com- 

 mon amono' the ladies of Peru. 



Years ago, Peru was an independent 

 nation, and governed by the Incas, who 

 were priests as well as princes. The 

 Peruvians worshipped the Sun, and had 

 temples in his honour. And there were 

 maidens who were made priestesses of the 

 Sun, and were occupied in the idolatrous 

 rites of their religion, and in keeping alive 

 the fires and lamps upon the altars. 



Cora is the name given to one of these 

 maidens by a French author in a story he 

 has written, and the scene of which is laid 

 in ancient Peru. 



The Humming-Bird gets its title of 

 Cora from that story. 



