134 



BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING-BIRD. 



Trochilus polytmus LINNAEUS. 



PLATE XXI. 



Long-tailed Black-capped Humming-Bird, Edwards, pi. 

 xxxiv Black-capped Humming-Bird, Latham, General 

 History, iv. p. 29G L'Oiseau-mouche a tete noire, Or- 

 nismya cephalatra, Lesson, Hisioire Naturelle des Oiseau.v- 

 mouches, pi. xvii. 



IN" the four birds figured upon the next Plates, we 

 see a very remarkable development of tail, in three 

 instances confined chiefly to the lateral feathers, in 

 the other, to those of the centre. The three first 

 remind us strongly of the forms assumed in the 

 Dronpro Shrikes, and many of the Muscicapidse. 



The Black capped Humming-bird is in length nine 

 inches, of which the long feathers in the tail are alone 

 six. The bill is of a fine straw- yellow black at the 

 tip ; the feet and legs are of the same colour. The 

 feathers forming the black part of the head are of a 

 loose and silky texture, considerably lengthened, and 

 make a deep black crest. The upper parts, breast 

 and belly, are of a rich golden-green, and the gorget 

 of scaly feathers covering the whole of the throat 

 and foreparts of the neck, is of the most brilliant 

 emerald green. The colour of the wings are a dark 



