large Humble-Bee in size. The bill is long and 
slender, either straight or curved, and the two man- 
dibles form a regular tube, in which the tongue, 
which is cleft to the root, works like a double piston. 
They suck the honey of flowers, and also feed on 
small insects, hovering while they ply their long 
pointed wings with lightning-like velocity. On the 
wing they sometimes cannot be distinguished from 
moths of the same size, which hover over flowers 
in a similar manner. Many species are very brightly 
coloured, some of them shining like jewels. They 
form a delicate nest of about the size of a large 
apricot, which they build in the forks of slender twigs. 
We have figured the three following species: 
Fig. b. The Litthke Humming Bird ((elsuga 
munima) a native of Jamaica and St. Domingo; 

Fig. c. The Tufted Coquette (Lophorits ornatis) 
one of the commonest 
and most widely-dis- 
tributed of the South 
American species; and 
Fig. d, The La- 
zuline Sabre - wing 
(Campylopterus lagu- 
/us) likewise common 
in Venezuela, and the 
neighbouring parts of 
South America. 
‘Family V. Corvide. 
(Crows). 
(Plate IX.) 
In these birds 
the beak is strong, 
conical, laterally com- 
pressed, and gene- 
rally longer than the 
head. The rounded 
nostrils are covered 
with small satiny or 
bristly feathers. They 
are very intelligent 
birds, and though 
most of them do not 
sing, they have a 
rather broad tongue, 
and some of them 
can be taught to ar- 
ticulate wordsdistinct- 

its plumage has a more metallic lustre. It is more 
omnivorous than the Crow and Raven, feeding on 
vegetable matters as well as on worms and insects. 
It is a very gregarious bird, nesting in large numbers 
on the same clump of trees. It is one of the com- 
monest species of the family throughout Central 
Europe. 
(Plate X.) 
Fig. a. The Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) 
much resembles the Carrion Crow in size, the struc- 
ture of the beak, and habits. It is found in many 
parts of Europe and Asia, and is sometimes very 
abundant. 
Fig. b. The Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) is a 
gregarious and very active bird, which may be seen 
flying by hundreds round the high trees and tall old 
buildings where — it 
makes its nests. It 
feeds chiefly on in- 
sects, worms &c. It 
is rather smaller than 
the rook; the crown of 
the head is black, the 
cheeksandupper parts 
of the head are ashy- 
Stevi, hehe gets mend 
shining greyish-white 
spot on each side of 
the base of the neck, 
and the breast and 
belly are ashy-grey. 
The rest of the body 
is black. The Jack- 
daw is common 
throughout Europe. 
iter te Nae 
Magpie (/7ca caudata) 
differs from the Crows 
and Rooks by its long 
tail. The prevailing 
colours of the bird 
are black and white, 
but the tail has a beau- 
tiful metallic lustre. 
It is a very cunning 
thief, and its nest, 
which it builds of 
thorns and twigs on 
lofty trees, is an al- 
ly. They are found most impregnable for- 
in all parts of the tress. The Magpie 
world, and eat all lives throughout the 
kinds of food. Two-horned Hornbill (Buceros bicornis). Yea DS bee: It 
Fig. e. The likes the neighbour- 
Raven (Corvus corax) one of the largest of the 
family, is a bold and handsome bird. It is of a 
shining black colour, with a greenish blue metallic 
lustre. The beak is strongly arched, and the claws 
very powerful, so that it is enabled to attack both 
large and small animals, like a -ird of prey. When 
captured young, it becomes very tame. 
Fig. g. The Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) is 
considerably smaller and weaker than the Raven. 
Both birds are widely distributed over the Northern 
hemisphere. The Crow is frequently met with in 
large numbers in Southern and Central Europe, and 
destroys great quantities of mice and other small 
animals. 
Pig. f. The Rook (Corvus frugilegus) has a 
longer and more pointed beak than the Crow, and 

| 
hood of houses, and is common in all parts of 
Europe. 
The Jays (Garrulus) differ from the Crows in 
the form of the beak, the points of which are curved 
together, the rounded tail, and the hopping gait. 
Fig. c. The Jay (Garrulus glandarius) is one 
of the prettiest and best-known of our woodland 
birds. The wings are large, banded with black and 
white, and the wing-coverts are blue. The rest of 
the body is reddish-grey. The Jay feeds on insects, 
worms, berries and hard-shelled fruits, as well as on 
birds’ eggs and young birds, which causes it to be 
regarded as a destructive bird. 
Fig. d. The Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryo- 
catactes) is dark-brown with scattered white spots. 
It is smaller than the Jay, and less common in most 

