THE SLENDER SHEAR-TAIL. 



267 



HUMMING-BIRDS. 



HUMMING-BIRDS : THE SLENDER SHEAR-TAIL. 



Central America is the home of several beautiful species of 

 those minute members of the feathered tribe the humming- 

 birds. Among them is found the slender shear-tail, which 

 will be known by its deeply-forked black tail, its wings of 

 purple-brown, and its body of deep shining green, changing to 

 brown on the head, and bronze on the back and wing-coverts. 

 The chin is black, with a green gloss ; the throat is of a 

 deep metallic purple ; while a large crescent-shaped mark of 

 buff appears on the upper part of the chest. There is a gray 

 spot in the centre of the abdomen, and a buff one on each 

 flank, the under tail-coverts being of a greenish hue. 



The female differs greatly from her consort. Her tail is 

 short, the central feathers being of a golden green'; the ex- 

 terior ones rusty red at their base, and black for the greater 

 part of their length, with white tips. The upper part of 



