130 PASSERES. TROCHILID^:. 



blossoms again, and sucks, and sucks, as if it had not 

 moved away at all. Frequently one alone will mount 

 in this manner, or dart on invisible wing diagonally 

 upward, looking exactly like a humble-bee. Indeed, 

 the figure of the smaller Humming-birds on the wing, 

 their rapidity, their arrowy course, and their whole 

 manner of flight, are entirely those of an insect; 

 and one who has watched the flight of a large beetle 

 or bee, will have a very good idea of the form of 

 one of these tropic gems, painted against the sky. 

 I have observed all our three species at one time 

 engaged in sucking the blossoms of the moringa 

 at Content ; and have noticed that whereas Polytmus 

 and Mango expand and depress the tail, when 

 hovering before flowers, Humilis, on the contrary, 

 for the most part, erects the tail ; but not invariably. 



The present is the only Humming-bird that I am 

 acquainted with, that has a real song. Soon after 

 sunrise in the spring months, it is fond of sitting on 

 the topmost twig of some mango or orange tree, 

 where it warbles, in a very weak but very sweet tone, 

 a continuous melody, for ten minutes at a time : it 

 has little variety. The others have only a pertina- 

 cious chirping. 



The season of nidification seems to be as pro- 

 tracted in this, as in the former species; nor does 

 the structure itself differ, except in being of about 

 half the size. The small bushes of Lantana, 

 so common by roadsides, and always covered with 

 orange and yellow blossom, are favourite situations 

 for the domestic economy of this minim bird. The 

 smooth twigs of the bamboo also are not unfrequent- 



