354 INSESSORES. 



In the case of the Nectan'nii % of South America, the nest is 

 placed in the worm-oaten trunks of mimosa-trees, and contains 

 four or five eggs, entirely white. The Sun Birds of the genus 

 Meltthrtytes. (Gr. me.H, honey, trepho, to nourish,) included in 

 the Necianne group, are found in the Hawaiian islands. The 

 beautiful, yellow feathers of these birds, interspersed with a few of 

 a scarlet color, are worn as ornaments of the head. "These 

 feathers are among the most celebrated productions ' of the above 

 named islands* " Each bird yields only a few, and some thousands 

 are required to form a head-dress. The wreath, or tiara, is 

 sometimes valued as high as two hundred and fifty dollars. The 

 birds, (Me 7 <fhreptes Pacifica) are taken by means of bird-lime, 

 made from the pisonia, and ihe catching of them is practiced as 

 a trade oy the mountaineers. The wearing of these feathers is 

 a symbol of high rank."* 



THIRD FAMILY. HUMMING BIRDS. 

 TrocluUda, (Gr. Wp&*U$, trochilos, a trochil, or wren.) 



The family of Humming Birds is one of great interest. Mr. 

 Gould, in his recently published work, enumerates about sixty 

 genera, and his collection contains more than three hundred 

 species. They are, however, separated from each other by 

 comparatively slight variations in the length and curvature of 

 the beak, the form of the wings, and the greater or less deve'op- 

 ment of ihe tail, and of other parts. These birds are all confined to 

 this Continent and the West India Islands: some species penetrate, 

 in summer, to high latitudes on each side of the equator. The 

 gorgeous flashings and changing tint, and the lustre, as of burn- 

 ished metal, which are, to some extent, seen in the Sun Birds, 

 are in the birds of this family preeminently conspicuous. 



They are the smallest of the feathered races; (See Chart;) 

 some species are exceeded both in size and weight by several 

 of the insect tribe, while a few species are as large as a 

 Swallow. 



The Humming Birds are not less remarkable for their structure 

 than for the remarkable splendor of their plumage. The exces- 

 sively long wings are moved by pectoral and other muscles, 

 which form nearly the whole of the fleshy substance of the bird ; 

 those of the feet "are reduced to the least possible quantity con- 

 sistent with the requisite stability," all this showing, that they 

 were adapted by the Creator to spend, as they do, the most active 



* Narrative of the United States Exploring Expedition. 



