380 WHITE-BOOTED RACKET-TAIL. 



and beauty of construction, is fastened to the end of a twig. 

 The head and upper part of the body of the male bird are 

 green, glossed with gold in sorrfe parts, and with bronze in 

 others. The wings are dark black-brown, with a purple gloss ; 

 while the tail is dark black, the upper surface being bronzed. 

 A conspicuous white, slightly elongated spot exists behind 

 each eye, and on each side of the chest there is a broad 

 crescent-shaped mark of light gi^een. The under parts are of 

 a bronzed green, and the under tail-coverts are flaked with a 

 little white. 



COPPER-BELLIED PUFF-LEG. 



In the neighbourhood of Santa Fe, another very beauti- 

 ful and curious little bird, the copper-bellied puff-leg, is found, 

 at an elevation of about 9000 feet. (Unlike the greater 

 number of birds, the female humming-birds are generally 

 as richly ornamented as the male.) It is named from the 

 curious white pufls or ruffs — looking as if formed of swan's- 

 do^Ti — on the legs. The head of the male, the sides of the 

 neck, and back, are gTeen, with a bronzed tint, except on the 

 tail-coverts, where the green is pure, and of metallic brilliancy. 

 The tail is black, with a pm^ple gloss ; the throat is of a shin- 

 ing, metallic green ; wdiile the breast and under portion of the 

 body is green, glossed wdth gold. 



This bird, probably on account of the vegetation of the 

 locality, from which it obtains its food, is restricted to a nar- 

 row mountain-ridge, not three-quarters of a mile in width. 



WHITE-BOOTED RACKET-TAIL. 



The rapid flying white-booted racket-tail is likewise com- 

 mon near Santa Fe. It possesses muff's, like the former, and 

 is found at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet. It is named 



