30 PICARIAN BIRDS. 



RivoU A long straight beak, a forked tail nearly uniform in colour, 



Humming-Bird, without any white in it, and a brilliant coloration — to wit, a body of 

 bronzy green, a crown of rich metallic violet, a throat of glittering green, and an 

 under surface changing with the light from velvety black to green — are the 

 characters distinguishing the single species of the genus Eugenes, called after the 

 Due de Rivoli, first found in the highlands of Guatemala, and extending northwards 

 to Mexico and to Southern Arizona. In the first-named country this bird was seen 

 by Mr. Salvin, who writes " that it is a most pugnacious bird. Many a time have I 

 thought to secure a fine male, wdiich I had perhaps been following from tree to tree, 

 and had at last seen quietly perched on a leafless twig, when my deadly intention 

 has been frustrated by one less so in fact, but to all appearances equally so in will. 

 Another humming-bird rushes in, knocks the one I covet oflf his perch, and the two 

 go fighting and screaming away at a pace hardly to be followed by the eye. 

 Another time this flying fight is sustained in mid-air, the belligerents mounting- 

 higher and higher till the one worsted in battle darts away seeking shelter, 

 followed by the victor, who never relinquishes the pursuit till the vanquished, by 

 doubling and hiding, succeeds in making his escape. These fierce raids are not 

 waged alone between members of the same species. Eugenes fulgens attacks with 

 equal ferocity Amazilia clmnerili, and, animated by no high-souled generosity, 

 scruples not to tilt with the little Trochilus coluhris. I know of hardly anj' 

 species which shows itself more brilliantly than this on the wing, yet it is not to 

 the mid-day sun that it exhibits its splendour. When the southerly winds bring 

 clouds and driving mists between the volcanoes of Agua and Fuego, and all is as 

 in a November fog in England, except that the yellow element is wanting, then it 

 is that Eugenes fulgens appears in numbers: Amazilia devillei, instead of a few 

 scattered birds, is to be seen in every tree ; and Trochilus colubris in great 

 abundance. Such animation awakes in humming-bird life as would hardly be 

 credited by one who had passed the same spot an hour or two before ; and the 

 flying to and fro, the humming of wings, momentary and prolonged combats, and 

 the incessant battle-cries seem almost enough to turn the head of a lover of these 

 things." The nesting of this species in Arizona is described by Mr. Poling, who 

 relates that he was resting under a pine-tree, when he heard the noise of a 

 humming-bird's wing close to his head, and on looking up he found a female Rivoli 

 humming-bird making perpendicular dives at him. When he moved aw^ay, the 

 bird alighted on a dead twig, and at last, when about fifty feet up the tree, she 

 made a dart for a limb, and there at a distance of ten feet from the trunk was the 

 nest, which was secured only with difficulty. 



King Humming- Two beautiful species alone represent the genus Topaza, one 



Birds. being T. pella of Guiana, in which the outer tail-feathers are 

 cinnamon ; while the second is T. pyra, from the Rio Negro and Eastern Ecuador 

 distinguished by the purplish black tint of the same feathers. Both species are 

 characterised by the tail-feather on each side of the middle pair being elongated, 

 curving outwards, and then crossing its fellow, as shown in the illustration. 



In the humming-birds commonly designated hill-stars (Oreotro- 



chilus), the beak is relatively short and curved, ^^dlile the toes are 



proportionately large, and the tail is squared, with narrow feathers. These birds 



