THE VERVAIN HUMMING-BIRD. 185 



A VERY elegantly shaped little bird is the Gilt-orested HrMMiNG-BiRD {OrthorJii/ncTiiis 

 exilis). It inhabits Martinique and other West Indian islands, where it is always found upon 

 the low-lying grounds. 



In color it is very pretty, the general hue of its body being green with bronze reflections, 

 and its crest glowing with golden-green and emerald ; the emerald hue being most conspicuous 

 towards its point, and the gold towards the base. The nest is a very pretty compact little 

 structure, beautifully rounded, and composed chiefly of cotton fibres, intermixed with the 

 dried involucres of certain composite plants, and bound together with spiders' web. 



The beautiful little Vervain Humming-bird is one of the minutest examples of feathered 

 life tliat are at present known to zoologists. In total length this bird does not measure three 

 inches ; w^hile, as the tail occupies nearly an inch and the head half an inch, the actual length 

 of the body wiU be seen to be not quite an inch and a half. It is a native of Jamaica, and has 

 been admirably described by Mr. Gosse, while treating of the birds which inhai)it that island. 



The name of ^'ervain Humming-bird has been given to this tiny creature, because it is in 

 the habit of feeding on the blossoms of the AVest Indian Vervain, but it is also known under a 

 variety of other titles, and has been described by many scientific writers under difl'erent names. 

 Speaking of this bird, Mr. Gosse says : — 



"The West Indian Vervain (SfachptarpJieta) is one of the most common weeds in 

 neglected pastures, shooting up everywhere its slender columns set around with blue flowers 

 to the height of a foot. About these our little Humming-bird is abundant during the summer 

 months, pecking the azure blossoms a few inches from the ground. It visits the spikes in 

 succession, flitting from one to another exactly in the manner of the honey-bee, and with the 

 same business-like application and industry. In the winter, the abundance of other flowers, 

 and the paucity of vervain blossoms, induce its attentions to the hedge-rows and woods. 



" I have sometimes watched with much delight the evolutions of this little species at the 

 moringa tree. When only one is present, he pursues the round of the blossoms soberly 

 enough. But if two are at the tree, one will fly off and susjiend himself in the air a few yards 

 distant, the other presently starts ofi^ to him, and then, without touching each other, they 

 mount upward with strong rushing wings, perhaps for five hundred feet. They then separate, 

 and each starts diagonally towards the ground like a ball from a rifle, and wheeling round 

 comes up to the blossoms again, and sucks as if it had not moved away at all. 



"Fi-equently one alone will mount in this manner, or dart on invisible wing diagonally 

 upwards, looking exactly like a humble-bee. Indeed, the figure of the smaller Humming- 

 birds on the wing, their rapidity, their wavering course, and their whole manner of flight, are 

 entirely those of an insect, and any one who has watched the flight of a large beetle or bee will 

 have a very good idea of these trojjic gems painted against the sky." 



The Vervain Humming-bird apjiears to lie less susceptible of human influence than the 

 Ruby-throated and the Long-tailed Humming-birds, for although Mr. Gosse succeeded in 

 capturing several specimens of these beautiful little creatures, and confined them in a room, 

 they were so hopelessly timid that nothing could be done with them. More than once he 

 secured the female as she was sitting upon her eggs, and removed her, together with her nest, 

 into a gauze-covered cage, hoping that she would continue her labors while in captivity, and 

 produce a brood of young that would be familiar with mankind from their earliest birth. 

 Maternal love, however, was not proof against the power of fear, and in every case the poor 

 little bird forsook her eggs, fiuttered about the cage aimlessly, and died within twenty-four 

 hours. 



The general color of this beautiful little bird is a brilliant metallic green, the wings being, 

 as usual, purple-brown, and the tail deep black. The throat and chin are white, sprinkled 

 profusely with little black spots, and the breast is pure white. Tlie abdomen is also white, 

 but diversified vntli a slight green tip to each feather, and the flanks are bright metallic -green 

 nearly as resplendent as upon the back. The under tail-coverts are white, with a few very 

 pale green spots. The colors of the female are rather more duU than those of her mate, the 

 green being tinged with yellow, and the under parts without the green spots. The first half 



Vol. n.— »1. 



