46 NEW-YORK FAUNA — BIRDS. 



The Kingfisher breeds in this State, where he is a resident during nearly the whole year. 

 I have seen him on the south side of Long island in the month of December, and as early as 

 the beginning of March. Their nests are excavated in dry sandy banks, to the depth of five 

 or six feet, enlarged at the end : they lay 4 - 6 white unspotted eggs. Their food consists 

 mainly of small fish, which ihey swallow whole, casting up the scales, bones and indigestible 

 parts in the form of pellets. It ranges from Mexico to the 68th parallel of north latitude, 

 and is peculiar to this continent. It has been arranged by Boie under the genus Ceryle, with 

 the characters of which I am not acquainted. 



FAMILY TROCHILIDJE. 



Bill elongate, awl-shaped, slender, straight or slightly arched, flexible, pointed at tip. 

 Nostrils linear, with a membranous flap above. Feet short. Tarsus very short, annu- 

 laled, naked or half feathered. Tail of ten or twelve feathers. The inner toe united at 

 the base to the middle one ; hind toe articulated high on the tarsus. Tongue long, exten- 

 sile, ending in two filaments. The first or second primaries longest. Plumage often 

 brilliant. Diminutive in size. 



Obs. This family is at present separated into three genera. Although more than one hun- 

 dred species are described from America, yet we have in this State but one species, and that 

 belongs to the 



GENUS TROCHILUS. Linn^us. 



Bill long, slender, depressed at the base, cylindrical. Ridge of the upper mandible narrow 

 at the base, convex beyond, and covering the lower mandible, which has a very acute 

 ridge. Head small. Middle toe scarcely longer than the rest. Wings very long and 

 narrow ; first quill longest. Tail nearly even, of ten feathers. 



THE RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD. 



Trochilus colubris. 



PLATE XL. FIG 87 (Male and female). 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Trochilus colubris, Linn. 12 ed. p. 191. Red-throated Honey sucker, Penn. Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 286. 



Humming-bird. Wilson, Am Orn. Vol. 2, p. 26, pi. 10, figs. 3 and 4. 



T. colubris. Audubon, folio, pi. 47; Orn. Biog. Vol. 1, p. 248, and Vol. 5, p. 544. Nuttall, Manual Ornithol. 



Vol. 1, p. 583, figure. Richarpson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 323. 

 Ruby-throated Humming-bird. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 4, p. 190. 

 T. colubris. Gibaud, Birds of Long island, p. 169. 



Characteristics. Golden green; throat ruby-colored. Tail notched, black ; its three outer 

 feathers rusty white at the tips. Female ; throat white. Length, 3 J 

 inches. 



