138 Description of a New Species of Humming. Bird, 



white at the base for two thirds of their length on the lateral 

 feathers, increasing to three-quarters on the others, with a ter- 

 minal band of bluish-black edged with white; the outer margins 

 of the outside tail feathers are black ; upper tail coverts have 

 crimson purple reflections, lower white ; in the dried specimen 

 the upper mandible is black, the lower brownish-yellow ; the 

 feathers on the tarsi are brown, terminating with white, tarsi 

 and upper surface of feet brown, underneath, the feet are 

 yellow. 



Young. — Two specimens of young birds have the white crest 

 feathers appearing next the bill, and along the edges of the 

 crown, the centre of the crown being dull metallic green ; the 

 black of the under surface is intermixed with white, the upper 

 plumage is green, with crimson reflections on the rump; the 

 tail is marked the same as in the adult, except in being more 

 tipped with white. 



Length, 2^ inches ; bill, h ; wing, If- ; tail, •£ ; the young do 

 not differ much in size from the adult. 



Habitat. — Veraguas, New Granada. 



At first view the full-plumaged bird has the appearance of 

 being only black and white, as the metallic reflections are not 

 very observable except on examination. 



It is a very small species, and as far as I have been able to 

 ascertain, is unique among its kindred in having the crown 

 entirely white. 



The specimens were presented to me by Dr. J. K. Merritt, who 

 has furnished, in the note which is given below, a very interest- 

 ing account of their habits. 



" It was also in the Autumn of 1852, while stationed in the 

 district of Belen, Veraguas, New Granada, that I obtained se- 

 veral specimens of this diminutive variety of the Humming- 

 Bird family. 



