THE SEARCHERS. 



67 



of tropical America, enjoys a somewhat extensive range over the eastern part of that continent, being 

 found from the Caraccas on the north to Brazil on the south, and is particularly numerous in all the 

 intermediate countries of Demerara, Surinam, and Cayenne ; it is also equally abundant in the island 

 of Trinidad. Prince Max of Wied states that in Brazil he found it on dry and arid plains, clothed 

 with a scanty and bushy vegetation ; and such would seem to be the habit of the bird in Trinidad, 

 since it there flies around the low, flowering shrubs of the open part of the countiy, rather than in the 



THE SPLENDID COQUETTE {Lophoritis ornata). 



more wooded or forest districts. The nest is a cup-shaped stracture, composed of some cottony 

 material, bound together with cobwebs, and decorated externally with small pieces of lichen 

 and mosses." 



Mr. Tucker states that " this species frequents the pastures and open places, and visits the 

 flowers of all the small shrubs, but is particularly fond of those of the ipecacuanha plant ; and tliat 

 it is very pugnacious, erecting its crest, throwing out its whiskers, and attacking every Humming Bird 

 that passes within the range of its vision." 



The AMAZONS {BellatrLx) have a smaller collar and larger crest than the abo\'e group. 



