440 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



sex ; the feathers very broad, and rounded at the ends ; primaries normal, 

 the outer broad to the end, and moderately bowed. 



Lampornis.^ Bill cylindrical, considerably curved. Wing very long, 

 reaching to, or beyond, the tip of the very broad tail. Size large (wing, 

 2 50, or more). The male dark-colored (green or black) beneath. Sexes 

 sometimes alike (in West Indies). 



B« Nasal operculum entirely uncovered ; base of bill very broad. Female 



with tail-feathers not tipped with white. 



Heliopaedica. Sexes alike in form. First primary longest, much 

 bowed toward en<l. Tad more than two thirds the wing, nearly square 

 (a little emarginated in the ^, slightly rounded in the 9)> the feathers 

 very broad, rounded at ends. Color, metallic green above, white or 

 rufous glossed with green below ; a conspicuous white post-ocular 

 stripe, and an auricular one ot black beneath it. ^. Forehead and 

 chin black or metallic blue ; throat rich metallic green. 9'F**^^^^^^ 

 dull brownish green ; chin and throat white, glossed with green, or 

 plain ochraceous ; tail plain bluish-black or purplish-rufous, the middle 

 leathers more or less green. 



ThaumatiaB. Sexes alike in form and color. General form of Helio- 

 j)cedica, but tail emarginated, instead of rounded. Color nearly uniform 

 green, with or witiiout white throat and abdomen. Tail grayish-dusky, 

 with an obscure subterminal band of black (with basal three fourths 

 white in T. chionurus). 



Habiis. The habits and manners of the whole family of Trochilidw are, in 

 many striking respects, entirely peculiar to themselves, and without any known 

 correspondence or close resemblance to those of any other kinds of birds, 

 either in America or elsewhere. This family is found exclusively in Amer- 



1 Genus Lampornis, Swains. Char. Size lurge (wing, 2.50) ; tail large, more than half the 

 wing, the feathers very broad ; usually a little rounded, sometimes slightly emarginated (as in 

 L. mango, L. rirghmlis, and L. auruhntns). Bill cylindrical, oonsiderably curved, its vertical 

 thickness least at about the middle. Xasal ojwrcula nearly covered by the frontal feathers ; 

 tarsi nakod. Wing very long, reaching to or beyond the tiji of the tail ; first primary longest, 

 oidy slightly bowed, and not attenuated at tip ; inner primaries normal. 



The si)Ocies of this genus belong chiefly to the West India Islands and to Tropical America, — 

 juiiicipally on the Atlantic coast. They are all of more than the average size, and distinguished 

 by broad tail-feathers, and rather dull, though handsome colors. In L. porphyrurus the sexes 

 are alike in color. The following species has been accredited to North America, but probably 

 ui>ou erroneous data, since it belongs to northern South America, not even being an inhabitant 

 of any of the West India Islands, except Trinidad. Still it is possible that, as alleged for Thau- 

 matins linnm (see page 1064), it may have wandered far from its usual habitat, and have reac^ "d 

 Florida, as stated by Mr. Audubon. 



Luiiipor His mango, (L.) Swains. — Tlie Mango Hummer. Trochiliis viango, L. S. N. I, 191. 

 — Gmel. S. N. I. 491. — Ai^T>. Orn. Biog. II, 1834, 486 ; pi. 184. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 

 186, pi. ccli. Lampnmis mango, Sw. Zool. Journ. Ill, 358. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 130. 

 Sp. Char. — Mafr. .• Above deep golden green ; beneath opaque velvety-black medially, from 

 the bill to the anal region, separated from the lateral and sujierior green by a tint of metallic 

 greenxsh-blue. Tail richly metallic rufous-purple, the feathers bonlered tenninally with blue- 

 black ; intennediae plain dark bronzy-green. Primaries jdain dull dusky. Female. Similar, 

 but white beneath, except laterally, and with a medial stripe of black, from the bill to the anus. 

 Wing, 2.60-2.70 ; tail, 1.50- 1.70 ; bill, .90. Hab. Northern South America (Brazil, Guiana, 

 Venezuela, New Granada, Panama, and Trinidad) ; accidental in Florida ? ? ? 



