ORDER PASSERES. 391 



habits and manners are altogether opposite to those of the 

 true creepers. 



They have also been confounded with the humming-birds, 

 by travellers, and even by naturalists. But they have attri- 

 butes which are fca-eign to the latter. They have twelve 

 quills in the tail, and the bill is slender, and forms a more 

 acute angle than in the humming-birds. They are also dis- 

 tinguished by the length and nakedness of their tarsi, the 

 conformation of their toes, claws, and wings. Besides, it is 

 now an ascertained fact, that the entire tribe of the humming- 

 birds is confined to America. It therefore appears, that all 

 the African and Asiatic birds, to which that name was given, 

 belong to the family of the souimangas, which supply the 

 place of the others in the old continent. Like the humming- 

 birds, they are adorned with the richest and most brilliant 

 colours. The males have been particularly decked in this 

 way by the lavish hand of nature. This, however, is only the 

 case during the season of love. At all other times they 

 resemble the females so closely, that it is impossible to dis- 

 tinguish them by the mere guidance of the plumage. 



The souimangas moult regularly twice a year, and change 

 colours at each moulting. But this change occurs in the 

 males only. The finales preserve constantly the same tints 

 in all seasons, when they are once clothed with the colours of 

 perfect age. This does not, however, appear to be the case 

 with the humming-birds, at least not invariably, though M. 

 Levaillant has expressed a contrary opinion. It would rather 

 seem, that when these latter have attained their complete 

 perfection in this way, it remains for the rest of their lives. 



It is only when the souimangas are thus decorated with 

 their brightest plumage, that they employ themselves in the 

 construction of their nests, and the education of the young. 

 After which, they resume their winter plumage, or, to speak 

 more correctly, that which characterizes them during the 

 rainy season, the only winter of the sunny climates of the 



