PASSERIN^E. 287 



trude at will, like that of the Woodpeckers (and by the same mechanism), and 

 which is split almost to its base, forming two filaments, employed, as is 

 asserted, in taking up the nectar from flowers. They also, however, feed 

 on small insects, for we have found their stomach filled with them. Their 

 very small feet, broad tail, excessively long and narrow wings, short hu- 

 merus and large sternum, which is without emargination, all contribute to 

 form a system adapted for great power of flight, similar to that of the 

 Swallows. The narrowness of their wing is caused by the rapid abbre- 

 viation of its quiUs. By these means, they balance themselves in air 

 with nearly as much facility as certain flies, and it is thus that they hum 

 about flowers, and fly with more proportionate rapidity than any otlier 

 bird. Their gizzard is very small, and they have no caecum, an additional 

 mark of their affinity with the Woodpeckers. They live singly, defend 

 their nests with courage, and fight desperately with each other. 



The name of Trochilus, Lac, is especially reserved for such as have 

 the bill arcuated; some of them are distinguished by the prolongation of 

 the intermediate quills of their tail. We will mention one of the largest 

 and most beautiful. 



Troch. pella; Colibri Topaze, Enl. 596. Purple-maronne ; head, 



black; throat of the most brilliant topaz-yellow, changing into green, 



surrounded by black*. 

 The lateral quills of the tail are very long in others-j- ; several have 

 tails moderately forked J; in the greater number it is round or squareS. 

 We call, 



Orthorhynchus {Fly-Birds), Lacep. 



Such as have a straight biU; some of them have tufted heads]]. 

 Others have tufts or elongated feathers on the sides of the head^, and 

 among them are found some with a pointed and very long tail**. 



• Add, Tr. superciliosus, Enl. 600, 3; Vieill. 17, 18, 19;— Tr. leucurus, Enl. GOO, 

 3;— rr. squalidus, Natterer, Col. 120, f. \;—Tr. brasiliensis, Lath. Col. 120, f. 2. 



f Tr. forficatus, Edw. 33-, Vieill. SO;~polithmus, Edw. 34, Vieill. 67, and particu- 

 larly the magnificent Peruvian species, with the refulgent gold tail, Tr. chrysurus, 

 Guv. 



X Tr. elegans, Vieill. 14. 



§ Tr. mango, L., Enl. I, 680, 2 and 3, Vieill. 7;—Tr. navius, Dumont, Col. 120, 

 f. 3; — Tr. gutturalis, Enl. 671;— Tr. taumantias, Enl. 600, 1; — Tr. violaceus, Enl. 

 600, 2; — Tr. cinereus, Vieill. 5;—Tr. melanogaster, Vieill. 75; — Tr. jugularis, Sli. 

 Edw. 266, 1, Vieill. 4;— Tr. holo-sericetis, Sh., Vieill. 6 and 65;— Tr. puncfalus, Sli., 

 Vieill. 8;—Tr. pectoralis, Sh. 9 and 10;— Tr. aurulentus, Sh., Vieill. 12;— Tr. aureo- 

 viridis, Sh., VieUl. 15; — Tr. hirsutus, Gm., or brasiliensis, Sh., Vieill. 20; — Tr. albus, 



Vieill. II; — Tr. viridis, Vieill. 15; — Tr. margaritaceus, Enl. 680, 1, Vieill. 10; Tr. 



multicolor, Gm., or Harlequin Hummingbird, Lath. Supp. pi. cxi, Vieill. 79; — Tr. la- 

 zulus, Vieill. Gal. 179. 



II Tr. cristatus, Edw. 37; Enl. 227, 1; Vieill. 47, 48;— Tr. pileatus, (piiniceus, 

 Gm.) Vieill. 63;— Jr. Lalandii, Vieill. 18, f. 1 and 2;— Or^/ior. stephanioides. Less. 

 and Garn. Voy. de la Coquille, pi. xxxi, No. 2. 



^ Tr. ornafus, Enl. 640, 3; Vieill. 49, 50;— Tr. chalybeus, Vieill. 66, f. 2;—Tr. 

 petasophorus, P. Max. Col. 203, Z;—Tr. scuiatus, Natter., Col. 299, 3; — Tr. viagnifi- 

 cus, lUig. Col. 299, 2;— 7V. mesoleucos, Tern. Col. 317. 



** Tr. bilophus, Temm. 



N. B. M. Swainson has named those Humminghirds, the middle quills of whose 

 tail are elongated, PiIjETOrnis; those with a round or square tail, Laaipornis; the 

 straight-billed ones, in which the quills of the wings are inflated, Campylopterus; 

 and those with a forked tail, Cynanthus. 



