54 CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



sombre colouring, renders her very difficult of detection. Both sexes retain their greyish green garb 

 during the first year of their existence ; the young males may, however, be at all times distinguished 

 by a tolerably well-defined collar of olive-green and brown. The nest is formed of lichens, and 

 is either suspended to or sheltered beneath a ledge of rock. The eggs, two in number, have a 

 white shell. 



The SABRE-WINGS {Campylopterus) are at once recognisable from the peculiar shape of the 

 wing, which is broad, with the anterior quills strongly curved, their shafts, in adult birds, becoming 

 suddenly dilated. The tail is large and blunt or broadly rounded at the end, and the powerful beak, 

 which is half as long again as the head, but slightly curved, compressed at its sides, and broader than 

 it is high. The legs are delicate, and the claws long, 



DE LATTREI'S SABRE-WING. 



De Lattrei's Sabre-wing {Campylopterus hemileitcurus or Campylopterus De Laflrei) is of a deep 

 blueish black on the head ; the wing-covers, back, and rump are green ; the quills dark purplish brown ; 

 the tail-feathers blueish black, shaded with green ; a small white spot is placed above the dark eye ; 

 the beak is black, the foot dark brown. The head of the female is bronze-colour, the rest of the mantle 

 glossy green, with a golden shade ; the region of the throat and sides of the breast are greenish blue, 

 and the under side grey, with a greenish gloss. This gaily-tinted bird inhabits Mexico and Central 

 America. 



" Of all the members of the genus," says Gould, " this species is by far the largest and the most 

 beautifully coloured. It is said to be the boldest of its race, and to be so extremely pugnacious that 

 every bird venturing into the neighbourhood of its territory is furiously attacked and driven away. 

 This peculiar feature in the habits of the race explains the use of the broad and powerful shafts of 

 the primaries, which form so conspicuous a character in the males of the Campylopterus. This bird 

 is strictly a Mexican or Central American species. M. de I.attrei, to whom we are indebted for its 

 discovery, states that it is found in the forests of Jalapa during two months of the year only, that it 

 is known by the name of the ' Luce-fleur-royal,' and that it feeds during the entire day, instead of 

 during any particular hours. He adds that it selects a flowering shrub, which it never quits, and 

 from which it chases with anger all the species of the family that may seem desirous of approaching 

 it. On taking flight it utters a cry." 



" The large showy tail of this Humming Bird," says Mr. Salvln, " makes it one of the most 

 conspicuous when on the wing. The females are especially abundant, their ratio to the males being 

 as five to two.'' 



"This beautiful bird," says M. Monies de Oca, "which is generally known in Mexico by the 

 name of the Royal Blue Myrtle-sucker, arrives in the vicinity of Jalapa, Coantepec, and Orizaba in 

 considerable numbers during the months of October and November, and is mostly found feeding from 

 a plant called marapan between the hours of seven and one o'clock. During this time it is 

 seldom seen to alight, and then only for a very short time, but is constantly on the wing, flitting from 

 flower to flower, describing segments of a circle in its flight, and sometimes almost touching the 

 ground. For the remainder of the day very few are to be seen, and I think it probable that they 

 visit the woods for certain kinds of mosquitoes, with which I have often found their stomachs well 

 filled. The pugnacity of this species is very remarkable ; it is very seldom that two males meet 

 without an aerial battle. The contest commences with a sharp, choleric shriek, after which, with 

 dilated throats, the feathers of the whole of their bodies erected on end, and their tails outspread, 

 they begin to fight wth their bills and wings ; the least powerful soon falls to the ground or flies away. 



