THE SEARCHERS.. ^ _ 5 1 



THE SICKLE-BILLED HUMMING BIRD. 



The Sickle-billed Humming Bird {Eutoxeres aquila) principally differs from its congeners in 

 the sickle-shaped formation of its powerful beak and its conical tail. In this species the back is of 

 a glossy greyish green ; the head and a small crest by which it is adorned are bro^vnish black, these 

 feathers and those upon the rump being edged with brown ; the under side is brownish black, marked 

 on the throat with greyish yellow and on the breast with white spots ; the quills are pui-plish bro\vn, 

 the exterior secondaries tipped with white. 



" It is evident," says Gould, " that the bill of this very rare and singular Humming Bird is 

 adapted for some especial purpose, and we may readily infer that it has been expressly formed to 

 enable this species to obtain its food from the deep and remarkably-shaped blossoms of the various 

 orchidaceous and other plants, with curved, tubular flowers, so abundant in the country the bird 

 inhabits, and for exploring which a bill of any other form would be useless." At present nothing is 

 known of its habits. 



The SUN BIRDS {Phaetornis) have a large, long head and slightly-cur\'ed beak. Their foot 

 is small and delicate, with partially feathered tarsus and formidable claws ; the tail, in which the centre 

 feathers far exceed the rest in length, is long and conical. The plumage is dull, and the sexes alike 

 in colour, the only difference observable being the formation of the tail. 



THE CAYENNE HERMIT. 



The Cayenne Hermit (^Phaetornis superciliosus) is about seven inches long ; the -n-ing 

 measures two inches and one-third, and the tail two inches and two-thirds. In this species the 

 mantle is of a pure metallic green, and the under side reddish grey ; the feathers on the back have 

 reddish yellow borders ; a pale reddish yellow line passes above and below the eye ; the quills are 

 brown, shaded with violet ; the centre tail-feathers, which are twice the length of those at the sides, 

 are of a dull metallic green, shading into black towards the white tip, and edged with reddish yellow ; 

 the upper mandible is black, and the lower half of the under one pale yellow ; the feet are flesh-pink. 

 The female has quieter plumage and a shorter tail ; the latter is but slightly wedge-shaped, and fully 

 two inches less than that of her mate, 



" The Phaetornis superciliosus" says Gould, " is one of the commonest species of the genus, 

 examples having been sent to Europe for at least the last hundred years. Its native countries are 

 Guiana, Cayenne, and Surinam ; its range is knowm to extend towards Brazil, as far as the confluence 

 of the Amazon, but, as I believe, does not advance farther south than Bahia. Open trails covered 

 with shrub or brushwood are the localities it most frequents." 



Wallace gives the following graphic description of the movements of the Phaetornis and some 

 nearly-allied species :— " I have distinctly observed them visit in rapid succession every leaf and 

 flower on a branch, balancing themselves vertically in the air, passing their beak closely over the 

 under surface of each leaf, and thus capturing any small insect that might be upon them. \C\n\^ 

 doing this the two long feathers of their tail have a vibrator)' motion, serving apparently as a rudder 

 to assist them in performing (Jie delicate operation. I have seen others searching up and donm stems 

 and dead sticks in the same manner, every now and then picking oft" an insect, exactly as a Bush 

 Shrike or Tree Creeper does— with this exception, that the Humming Bird is constantly on the wing. 

 They also capture insects in the tme Fissirostral manner, and may often be seen perched on the dead 

 twig of a lofty tree, the same station that is chosen by the T}Tant Flycatchers and Jacamars, and from 

 . which, like those birds, they dart off a short distance, and, after a few ^vhirls and balancings, return 



