TROCHILUS niger, 

 Black Humming Bird. 



Generic Character. 

 Rostrum elongatum, rectum vel arcuatum, Jlexile, graciUimum, ad basin 

 depressum,7nandibulu superiore inferiorem ampkctente tt tantum non 

 ohtegente. Lingua jaculatoria, bijida, tubulata. Nares basalts, 

 membrand tectce, aperturd in longumjiisd. Pedes sedentes, minimi. 

 Alec longissimce, subarcuat'je ,remigibus prioribus longissimis, ceteris 

 gradatim brevioribus. 



Typus Genericus T". Moschitus Linn. 



Bill long, straight or curved, flexible, very slender, the base de- 

 pressed, the upper mandible folding over, and almost covering 

 the low^er. Tongue long, extensible, bifid, and tubular. Nostrils 

 basal, covered by a membrane, and opening by a long slit. Feet 

 sitting, very small. Wings very long, curved, the outer quill 

 longest, the rest gradually becoming shorter. 



Generic Type Ruby-crested Humming Bird Lath. 



Specific Character. 

 T. niger ; auribus aliquando ritfis ; tectricibus, caudd uropygioque colore 



subviridi nitidis; rectricium lateralium nivearum apicibus colore 



ckalybeio tinctis. 

 Black; the ears sometimes rufous; wing covers tail and rump 



glossed with green ; lateral tail feathers snowy, tipt with steel 



blue. 



Like the resplendent jewels of the earth, the Humming 

 Birds are the living gems of the air. United to the most 

 delicate form, these fairies of creation have the dazzling efful- 

 gence of every tint that sparkles from the ruby, the topaz, 

 the sapphire, and the emerald, lavished on their plumage ; they 

 seem created but for our admiration, to sport in the ardent 

 beams of a tropical sun, and to feast on the nectar of the 

 sweetest blossoms ; and, like sparks of many coloured fire, 

 they shoot from flower to flower, exulting in their little life 

 of brightness and pleasure. 



To return, however, to that now before us, it should be 

 observed, that it is the only species whose plumage does not 

 in any way accord with that of the rest of its brethi-en. No 

 author appears to have described it, although I met with it 

 very frequently in Brazil : a specimen in the British Museum 

 has the ears reddish brown, but this seldom occurs. Tlie figure 

 is of the size of life. All the species are natives of tropical 

 America. 



PI. 82. 



