348 VIELLOT'S HUMMING-BIRD. 



the tail feathers, except the middle pair, tipped 

 with white. 



This small species is common in the island of 

 St. Domingo, where Monsr. Viellot assures us he 

 has procured several pair, with their nest and 

 young. Each hrood, as in all of this genus, whose 

 nests have been hitherto observed, consist of two. 

 The period of incubation is twelve days : on the 

 thirteenth the young are hatched, and remain in the 

 nest -seventeen or eighteen days, by which time 

 their wings are fully grown: they then follow 

 their parents in quest of food : the nest is some- 

 times placed with its bottom horizontal on a 

 branch, and sometimes it is attached by its side to 

 a perpendicular one; and is externally covered 

 with lichen, and lined internally with fibres of 

 cotton : the male is extremely affectionate to the 

 female, watching her, and bringing her food 

 during the time of incubation, and afterwards as- 

 sisting in the care of the young. When the family 

 leaves the nest, the young usually perch on some 

 dead twig on a neighbouring tree; the parents im- 

 mediately extracting honey-juice from the neigh- 

 bouring flowers, and feeding the young; either 

 sitting by them, or on the wing, by applying the 

 tips of their tongues to those of the young, which 

 immediately swallow it with avidity, agitating 

 their wings the while, and from time to time ut- 

 tering a feeble cry or note of delight. 



Monsr. Viellot seems to suppose this species to 

 be the Trochilus niger of Linnaeus; but if this be 

 the case, it must be confessed that the Linnaean 



