DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. 71 



of the numerous species of the brilliant and di- 

 minutive Humming birds, which like the butter- 

 flies, whose analogues they are, suck the nectar 

 of the flowers. This, strictly, American genus is 

 in great force, also without the tropics, for they 

 abound in Mexico, and go northward as far as 

 Canada, and southward as far as Patagonia. 

 There is no northern metropolis for any analo- 

 gous form, to these living gems, which constitute 

 the ornament and life of the new world. But 

 the old shares with the new, in another beautiful 

 type in the winged creation, I mean the Psitta- 

 ceous or Parrot tribes, which chiefly support 

 themselves upon fruits, and abound in all tro- 

 pical countries, these the Creator has not only 

 invested with the gayest colours and plumage, 

 but gifted also with the power of speech, at least 

 of imitating the speech of man, when brought 

 into contact with him. Their principal residence 

 is within the tropics, but not confined to them, 

 as many are found in New Holland. The Aras 1 

 are confined to the new world, and one of its 

 greatest ornaments; their plumage being the 

 most brilliant of any of the Psittaceans. 



An analogous tribe of mammiferous animals 

 inhabits the same station, and feeds on the same 

 food with the parrots, these are what Zoologists 

 call the Quadrumanes, or Foup-handed beasts, 



1 Macrocercus. 



