92 PASSERES. TROCHILID^:. 



soms, and from the manner in which it turned 

 hither and thither, while hovering in a perpendi- 

 cular position, it was manifest that it was catch- 

 ing minute insects. This species when flying often 

 flirts and flutters the tail in a peculiar manner, 

 throwing it in as he hangs perpendicularly in mid 

 air, when the appearance of the broad lustrous fea- 

 thers, expanded like a fan, is particularly beautiful. 

 The pugnacity of the Humming-birds has been 

 often spoken of ; two of the same species can rarely 

 suck flowers from the same bush without a rencontre- 

 Mango, however, will even drive away another 

 species, which I have never observed the others to 

 do. I once witnessed a combat between two of the 

 present species, which was prosecuted with much 

 pertinacity, and protracted to an unusual length. 

 It was in the month of April, when I was spending 

 a few days at Phoenix Park, near Savanna le Mar, 

 the residence of my kind friend, Aaron Deleon, 

 Esq. In the garden were two trees, of the kind 

 called the Malay apple (Eugenia Malaccensis), one 

 of which was but a yard or two from my window. 

 The genial influence of the spring rains had 

 covered them with a profusion of beautiful blos- 

 soms, each consisting of a multitude of crimson 

 stamens, with very minute petals ; like bunches 

 of crimson tassels ; but the leaf-buds were but 

 just beginning to open. A Mango Humming-bird 

 had, every day, and all day long, been paying his 

 devoirs to these charming blossoms. On the morn- 

 ing to which I allude, another came, and the manoeu- 

 vres of these two tiny creatures became highly 



