These birds build their nests upon trees, and form 

 them of small straws and down; they lay two 

 white eggs, speckled with yellow, of the size of 

 a chick pea, which the male and female cover 

 alter*"ately. On the approach of winter, this 

 little 1 ird suspends itself by its bill to a twig, 

 and in this position falls into a lethargic sleep, 

 which continues the whole season. This is the 

 time whcis they are chiefly taken, for when they 

 are m full vigour it is almost impossible to catch 

 them. 



I have observed three species of this bird in 

 Chili ; the little, the blue-headed, and the 

 crested humming-bird. 



The little humming-bird (trochilus minimus) 

 'Vv'eighs only two grains, and its prevailing co- 

 Iolu is a very brilliant green. 



The blue-headed humming-bird (trochilus 

 cyanocephalus) has a tail thrice as long as its 

 body, w hich is of the size of a filbert ; the bill 

 is straight, pointed, and whitish ; the head is blue 

 with a golden lustre ; the back of a shining 

 green; the belly of a reddish yellow; and the 

 wings blue, mottled with purple. 



The crested humming-bird (trochilus galeri- 

 tus) is the largest of these three kinds, and is a 

 little less than the European wren. Its bill is 

 slightly curved, and its head adorned with a 

 small crest striped with gold and purple; its 

 neck and back are green, the large feathers of 



