388 Mr. E. L. Layard on Birds observed at Para. 



ants, 10th August, 1872. Male shot 14th December, 1872. 

 Many of these birds accompanied an army of Eciton ants, 

 feeding on the insects they disturbed. 



' 73. Glaucis hirsuta (Gmel.). 



Shot while probing the flowers of a parasitic plant very 

 early in the morning. Common in my jugha tree (13th No- 

 vember, 1872). 



74. Pygmornis pygm;eus (Spix). 



This minute species I shot in my kitchen, hunting spiders. 

 Its humming was singularly loud. I also obtained a speci- 

 men hovering over the " ingha" flowers, 13th November, 1872. 

 It is not uncommon in the forests, about low shrubs, especially 

 Strelitzia, and is found in the darkest and gloomiest recesses, 

 where the sun's rays never penetrate. 



4-75. Florisuga mellivora (L.). 



Common about Para, in October, and hovers much in the 

 air to capture minute flying ants as they emerge from their 

 nests in the trees. 



76. Campylopterus obscurus, Gould. 



This " Sabre-wing " is not uncommon about Para when 

 the "ingha" tree is in blossom, about November. Like the 

 preceding it hovers much in the air, capturing ants. 



4- 77. Lampornis violicauda, Bodd. 



Three of these lovely little birds, seen 27th November, 

 1872, in my garden at Nazare, hovering over the flowers of 

 the arrowroot. I killed a pair, which proved to be male and 

 female. Their stomachs contained small flies ; but when held 

 up by the feet at least a tea-spoonful of honey dropped from 

 their bills. 



78. Thalurania furcatoides, Gould. 



Shot on ingha trees, to which they seem very partial -, in- 

 deed all our Humming-birds may be found on this tree when 

 in flower. 



79. Eucephala cerulea. 



Shot in my neighbour's garden at San Juao, while probing 



