BLACK-CAPPED HUMMING-BIRD. 135 



brownish-black. The tail is forked, and the eight 

 centre feathers gradually decrease in length ; the ex- 

 terior shoots far beyond them into two narrow plumes, 

 pliable from their weight. It is of a brownish-black 

 colour, with green reflections. 



The female, says Dr Latham, " is of the same 

 size, with the bill the same, the base of the under 

 mandible white half way ; crown dusky brown ; up- 

 per parts of the plumage as in the male ; beneath, 

 from chin to vent, white ; on the sides of the neck 

 the green and white are intermixed irregularly ; tail 

 green, without the long feathers, and the tips of all, 

 except the two middle, white for almost half the 

 'ength." 



It is a native principally of the island of Jamaica ; 

 but Dr Latham also mentions having specimens from 

 Guiana. 



