TROCHILUS t'alcatus, 

 Sickle-winged Humming Bird, 



Generic Character.— See PI. 82. 



Specific Character. 



T. viriilii, giild pectoreqiie vitidc candeis ; corpore unoque ccerulcn- 

 xiridibus ; rectricibus paribus, rufo-cinnamominis ; remigibus ex(<.- 

 rioribus falcatis, scapis d'datato coinpressis. 



Green ; throat and breast shining blue ; body and vent bUie green ; 

 tail even, rufous cinnamon ; exterior quills falcated, the shaft ; 

 dilated and compressed. 



JNoTHiNG can exceed the dazzling brilliancy of colours 

 united in this little creature. It is, however, more remark- 

 able from the extraordinary construction of its wings, tl ::• 

 outer quills of which are greatly curved, and the shafts d - 

 lated to a most disproportionate size ; a similar structure oc 

 curs also in the Broad-shafted H. B. of Dr. Shaw, (7'. laL- 

 pennu.) That it is intended to fulfd some important office \\\ 

 their economy, will admit of no doubt, for in wisdom are n.' 

 things made; conjecture must, however, in numberless ir. - 

 stances, supply our want of real knowledge ; and it may nrt 

 be improbable that such additional strength in the wings h; :; 

 been given them as a defence against the small birds of prey, 

 (Laiiii. Lin.) which abound in tropical countries. 



The figure is the size of life; bill curved from the bas.\ 

 with a black stripe between that and the eye ; plumage abcr. • 

 deep shining green, most brilliant on the sides of the ne;- .; 

 ear feathers blue green ; chin and throat of a most bril;; 

 deep violet blue, changing in some lights to purple, becoi!.. 

 greenish on the breast, and blended with the green of 

 neck ; all these feathers are disposed like scales ; vent go (■ .: 

 green, with two tufts of downy white feathers round the thi::/. . 

 Tail even, the feathers broad and truncately rounded, ; 

 rufous cinnamon colour, tipt with a purple black bar; i 

 middle feathers darkest, and glossed with green. 



Of this rare and unrecorded species, a fine example exi;-il. 1 

 in Mr. Bullock's Museum, which was purchased to enr.i i 

 that of Paris: another, more imperfect, was sent Mr. Fail::; . 

 from the Spanish Main. The male of T. latipciiiiis h ui,:. 

 scribed, Dr. Shaw having only seen the female; both se.\e , 

 however, are in my possession. The plant introduced in tiiu 

 plate {C/itoria Piumieri) is a native of Brazil. 

 PI, a;}. 



