140 Description of a New Species of Humming Bird, 



and referred to me for examination, is of this species. Prince 

 C. L. Bonaparte, in his " Conspectus Trochilorum," places it in 

 his genus Myiaetina. Dr. Merritt obtained his specimen in 

 Veraguas, N. G. The one described by Bourcier was in 

 the collection of M. Loddiges, and came from St. Fe de Bogota. 



There is an accurate figure of it in Gray's " Genera of Birds ;" 

 it is easily distinguished from all other species by the remark- 

 able curvature of the bill, forming, as expressed by M. Bourcier, 

 the third part of a circle. 



In the accompanying note some interesting facts are commu- 

 nicated by Dr. Merritt, which will be considered a valuable 

 addition to its history, as nothing is recorded of the habits of 

 this species that I have met with ; in fact, as a general thing, 

 but little is known of the economy of this beautiful order of 

 birds, especially those from mountainous or little frequented 

 regions. The Trochilidse are now attracting much attention in 

 Europe, and any information elucidating their habits, derived 

 from personal observation, is considered of importance. 



" It was, as near as I can recollect, during the month of Sep- 

 tember, 1852, that I saw for the first time, and obtained a 

 specimen of this (to me) curious and novel bird. I was at that 

 time stationed in the mountainous district of Belen, province of 

 Veraguas, New Granada. 



" My attention, at that particular period of time, was directed 

 towards the collection of specimens of the Humming Bird 

 family. One day while out hunting a short distance from the 

 camp for these chefs-d'oeuvre of nature in the feathered race, I 

 was startled by the swift approach of a small object through the 

 close thicket, which darted like a rifle bullet past me, with a 

 loud hum and buzzing of wings. Indeed, it was this great 

 noise that accompanied its flight, which being so much greater 

 than I had ever heard before from any of these winged meteors 

 of the southern forests, that especially attracted my attention, 

 as something uncommon. 



" The bird continued its flight but a short distance beyond 



