VI PREFACE. 



" TROCIIILIDJE" is now in course of publication, 

 the thanks of the writer are especially due ; 

 nor does he forget the deep obligations he owes 

 to the Prince of Canino, from whom he has 

 received, as a personal present, his elaborate 

 " CONSPECTUS," without consulting which, his 

 labours, in the composition of the following 

 pages, would have been far more considerable. 



In conclusion, the author cannot here omit an 

 express notice of the two volumes on HUMMING- 

 BIRDS, by Sir "W. Jardine, forming part of the 

 " NATURALIST'S LIBRARY," a publication of 

 great ability and felicity of execution. To the 

 HUMMING-BIRDS of this "LIBRARY" he has 

 made abundant references, but has refrained, 

 ^excepting in one instance), from re-describing 

 species, the characters of which are so succinctly, 

 but so definitely pourtrayed. In one or two 

 instances, he has endeavoured to clear up an 

 obscurity, attributable to the limited information 

 till very recently possessed, respecting differences 

 resulting from sex and age. 



To this work the author has adapted the 

 following volume, purposely designing to render 

 it a sort of successor ; the only difference being 

 this, that the genera are collected into unity, 

 according to the system of the Prince of Canino, 



