HUMMING-BIRDS. Ill 



under the denomination of sickle or sabre-winged 

 humming-birds, and forming the genus Campylopterus 

 of Swainson, they are developed to an extraordinary 

 degree at the base, and nearly equal the breadth of 

 the plume. 



The birds composing this division are large, but not 

 the largest of the family ; and our present information 

 of their habits does not point out any peculiarity to 

 which this development is adapted. It, besides, is 

 wanting, or in a great measure reduced, in the females 

 of some of them. Mr Swainson has figured two birds, 

 which seem almost identical, except in the absence of 

 the broad shaft in the one; and in specimens of the 

 sabre-wing, which we have figured at Plate XXXIV, 

 the shafts of the female bird were in breadth only 

 about one-half. 



The organ of next importance, as directing the flight, 

 is the tail. This is always powerful, and presents 

 every modification which we find in those birds 

 endowed with powerful or rapid flight, and will be of 

 use to the systematist in directing the forms which 

 present themselves in analogy with the other families 



