150 GENEBA AND SPECIES. 



edly a less prevalence of what Buffon designate* 

 the beau noir velout 



" I may add, that both the birds alluded to 

 have been familiar to my friend from personal 

 observation in both islands." 



The appellation by which the Mango Hum- 

 ming-bird is familiarly known to the negroes in 

 the colony is that of Doctor-bird, which is some- 

 times applied also to Polytmus, and to some 

 others also. The origin of this term is thus 

 explained by Mr. Hill : In the old time when 

 costume was more observed than now, the black 

 livery of this bird distinguishing it from the gayer 

 and more brilliant Trochilid* led to its pro- 

 fessional title. It might with propriety have 

 been called the Parson ; but parsons were less 

 known than doctors in the old times of the 

 colony. 



The Trochilus gramineus of St. Domingo (and 

 also Gruiana)is decidedly distinct from the Mango, 

 though closely allied to it. It is Trochilus gra- 

 mineus and maculatus, Ghnelin, pectoralis and 

 ffularis, Latham Polytmus Dominions, Brisson. 

 It is described and figured in the Naturalist's 

 Lib. Ornith. vol. i. p. 143, pi. 32, male, pi. 33, 

 young. In the Proceeds. Zool. Soc. 1846, 

 Mr. G-ould describes two species of this genus 

 (Lampornis) : the first under the title of Trochilus 

 (Lampornis) cyanopectus, which has the throat 

 of a lustrous metallic green ; the centre of the 

 breast is deep luminous metallic blue ; the head, 



