252 



THE SUN-GEM. 



One of the most striking forms among the Humming-birds is that which is exhibited 

 by De Lalande's Plovee-ceest. 



This singular bird is remarkable from the fact that the elevated plume which is placed 

 upon the head is terminated by a single feather, instead of being double, as is usually the 

 case with crested birds. This species inhabits the southern parts of Brazil. The nest 

 which it builds is very pretty, and is ingeniously woven into a tuft of leaves or twigs at 

 the extremity of some very slender branch, so that the whole structure droops downwards, 



and may be reckoned among the pensile 

 nests. Its form is much elongated, and the 

 materials of which it is composed are delicate 

 pieces of roots, mosses and lichens, and 

 spiders' webs. 



The male bird is the sole possessor of the 

 beautiful crest, the female being without that 

 decoration. The crest and the top of the 

 head are bright green, with the exception of 

 the long single feather, which is jetty black. 

 The upper surface is green washed with 

 bronze, and the breast and abdomen are of 

 an intense shining violet. Behind the eye 

 there is a small white streak. 



If the reader will again refer to the 

 engraving on page 223, he will see that im- 

 mediately under the crossed tail-feathers of 

 the Polytmus and the Cynanthus, a Hum- 

 ming-bird is represented with outspread 

 wings and a rather curiously formed tail. 

 This is the Cayenne Eaiky {Heliothrix 

 aurttus), an inhabitant of Guiana, Cayenne, 

 and the forests near the mouth of the 

 Amazon. 



In the male, the general hue of the upper 

 surface is glossy golden green, very light on 

 the forehead. The four middle feathers of 

 the tail are blue-black, and the three exterior 

 feathers are white. A jetty black line is 

 drawn across each side of the face, including 

 the eye in its breadth, and terminated with a 

 small tuft of violet i)lue ; below the black 

 runs a luminous green line. The under parts 

 of the body are snowy white. 





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""^ '-'-''tS.m?^^^^''''- The very beautiful bird which has been 



appropriately named the Sun-gem inhabits 

 the mountain ranges of Brazil, especially 

 those of Minas Geraes, where it seems, as 

 Mr. Gould poetically remarks, to be a veritable gem sprung out of the mountain and 

 suddenly gifted with life. It may generally be found in the open country in nursery 

 grounds, where it finds abundance of the small flowers on which it feeds. During 

 the rainy season it resorts to the forest, and finds its nourishment in the orchidaceous 

 plants which flourish there in such rich profusion. 



The male bird is remarkable for a very conspicuous crest, which starts from either 

 side of the head, and has gained for the bird the title of Double-crested Humming-bird. 

 The name " cornuta," or horned, refers to this peculiarity. The forehead and crown of 

 the head are azure blue, and the neck fiery crimson at its base, changing to green near 



