170 



HERE. I X'S THORXBILL. 



^_ ^ ' ( . 



are in constant motion, waving gently in the air, crossing each other, opening and closing in 



the most graceful manner. But when the bird darts off with its peculiar arrowy flight, the 



tail-feathers lie straight behind it. 



The male of this species is bronze-green upon the greater part of the body, the green taking 



a richer and redder hue upon the upper tail-coverts. The throat and breast are brilliant emerald- 

 green. The wings are purple- 

 brown, and the tail is brown, 

 with the exception of the rack- 

 ets, which are black "shot" 

 with green. The feet are yellow, 

 and upon the legs are placed 

 two beautiful white puffs. The 

 whole length of the bird is 

 rather more than three inches. 

 The female bird does not pos- 

 sess the racket-shaped tail- 

 feathers, and is of a. bronze- 

 green upon the upper surface. 

 The tail is brown, with the 

 exception of the two middle 

 feathers, which are bronze- 

 green like the body. The two 

 exterior feathers are tipped 

 with white, and the others with 

 bronze-green. The under sur- 

 face is white, diversified with 

 bronze-green spots on the breast 

 and flanks. The puffs are 

 smaller than in the male. 



There are several species 

 belonging to this genus, among 

 which may be mentioned the 

 Peruvian Racket-tail, a 

 bird which may be distin- 

 guished by the rusty -red color 

 of the leg-muffs. 





WHITE-BOOTED B,.\CKE.T-TKXL.-SUyaHiu «, uuierwooUi. 



The Columbian Thornbill is an inhabitant of Santa Fe de Bogota, and is remarkable 

 for its adherence to the more temperate regions of that locality. It never seems to ascend to 

 the hills, but prefers remaining in the plains or in some of the valleys where it can find the 

 greatest abundance of food. It appears not to frequent the tops of trees, as is often the 

 case with Humming-birds, but contents itself with the low flowering shrubs of the plains 

 and valleys. The color of this bird is golden-green on the upper parts, changing into a 

 warmer line on the upper tail-coverts. Below, it is dull green, with the exception of a 

 remarkable tuft or beard which hangs from the chin, and which is light green towards its 

 base and purple-red towards its extremity. The wings are purple-brown, the tail brown 

 with a bronze gloss, and the under tail-coverts brown-yellow. The female resembles the male, 

 but has not the flame-like mark on the throat. The total length of this species is between 

 five and six inches. 



There are several species of Thornbills, among which maybe noticed Herran's Thorn- 

 bill (ffliamphomicron herrdni), a bird which is remarkable for its broad purple tail and the 

 snowy white tips of the three exterior leathers. All the thornbills possess the curious beard- 

 like appendage to the chin. 



