VERVAIN HUMMING-BIRD. 127 



these lovely birds might be introduced into our 

 conservatories and stoves, where there would be 

 no difficulty in preserving them. Mr. Yarrell has 

 suggested to me, that possibly young ones fed from 

 the nest upon syrup alone, might be able to live 

 without insect food. 



VERVAIN HUMMING-BIRD.* 



Mellisuga humilis. MIHI. 

 Ornismya minima, LESS. Ois. M. 79. (nee auct.) 



THAT this is the species of which M. Lesson has 

 figured the female in his Oiseaux Mouches, pi. 79, 

 there can be no doubt. His figure is a very fair 

 representation; though it is too slender, and the 

 white mark behind the eye I cannot find : this, how- 

 ever, I do not wonder at, if, as is most probable, 



* Male. Length 2-^j- inches, expanse 3, flexure 1^, rictus ^ 

 (nearly,) tail ^, tarsus rather above -J- ff , middle toe -j^, claw -fa. 



Irides, beak, and feet black. Whole upper parts metallic-green ; 

 wings purplish-black ; tail deep-black ; chin and throat, white speckled 

 with black ; breast white ; sides metallic-green ; belly whitish, each 

 feather tipped with green ; vent white ; under tail-coverts white, tipped 

 faintly with green. 



Female. Rather less ; of a yellower green above, which descends 

 half-way down upon the tail. Whole under parts pure white, un- 

 spotted, untinged with green ; tail-feathers, except the uropygials, tipped 

 with -white. 



Intestine lf^ inch : no caeca. 



