FLORISUGA MELLIVORA. 



Jacobin. 



TrocMhts mellivorm, Linn. Syst. Nat., torn. i. p. 193. — Gmel. Edit., torn. i. p. 499. — Borowsk., 



torn. ii. p. 159. — Lath. Ind. Om.,tom. i. p. 310. — Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming Birds, 



vol. i. p. 139. pi. 30. 

 IFkite-hellied Hmnming-Bird, Edw. Glean., pi. 35. fig. 1. — Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 705. 



lb. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 324. 

 La Jacohine, Buff, PI. Enl. 640. fig. 2. — lb. Hist, des Ois., torn. vi. p. 34. 

 VOiseau mouche a collier, dit La Jacohhie, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. i. p. 55. pi. 23. 

 La Jacohine variee, Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. i. p. 56. pL 24. 

 White-collared Hiimmmg-Bird, Shaw, Gen. ZooL, vol. viii. p. 320. 

 Mellisuga Surinajnensis torquata, Briss. Orn. tom. iii. p. 713. — lb. 8vo. tom. ii. i>. 35. Germ., 



tom. iv. t. 406. fig. 1. 

 Suriname^isis, Steph. Cont. of Shaw's Gen, ZooL, vol, xiv. p. 243. 



Ornismya melUvora, Less. Hist. Nat. des Ois., p. 90. pi. 21 male, pi. 22 female. 



Topaza mellivora, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 110, Topaza, sp, 6. 



Florisuga mellivora, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 73, 



T^'ochiliis fimhriatiis, Linn. Syst, Nat., tom. i. p. 493. — Lath. Ind. Orn., tom. i. p. 312. 



Mellisuga Cayenensis gutture 7i(Evio, Briss. Orn., tom, iii. p. 706, pi. xxxvi. fig. 2. — lb. 8vo, 



tom. ii. p. 33. 

 Oiseau-mouche a gorge tachetee, Buff. Hist, des Ois., tom. vi. p. 31. — Pi. Enl. 276. fig. 2. — 



Aud. et Vieill. Ois. dor., tom, i. p. 53. pi. 22. 

 Spotted-necked Hurmning-Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn., tom. ii. p. 772. — lb. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 325 

 TVhite'Collared Humming-Bird, both var., Shaw, Gen. ZooL, vol. viii, p. 321. 

 Topaza fimbria ta, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 110, Topaza, sp. 7. 



This species is one of the most widely diffused of the Trochiltdce with which I am acquainted ; it is also 

 one of the oldest known, and consequently one of the species most abundant in our collections : I have 

 specimens from Guiana, Trinidad, Cayenne, Sta Fe de Bogota and Peru ; and Mr. Wallace, who is seeking 

 Humming-Birds expressly for my work, has lately sent numerous specimens of both sexes from Cobati and 

 Guia on the Upper Rio Negro, — a tolerable evidence that the species ranges over all the districts lying 

 between the distant countries of Cayenne and Peru. It appears to be better adapted for low and fluviatile 

 countries than for those of a more elevated character ; for Mr. Wallace, writing from the Rio Negro, says, 

 " Although I have come seventeen hundred miles from Para into the interior of the country, I am not more 

 than one or two hundred feet above the level of the sea." It is much to be regretted that no account 

 whatever has been recorded of its habits, &c. 



A great diversity exists in the colouring of this species, and much has yet to be leai-nt as to the changes 

 to which it is subject ; examples, apparently adult, have in some instances the head and neck intense blue, 

 while in others the same parts are strongly tinged with green : I also have specimens in which the blue 

 colouring is interrupted by a mark of rufous extending down the sides of the neck ; and others, the sex of 

 which has been ascertained by dissection to be feminine, which have a considerable amount of blue pervading 

 the throat, and only a trace of the white nuchal band ; while others again are characterized by the mottled 

 dress represented in the lower figure of the accompanying Plate : the colouring of the tail presents a still 

 greater diversity, varying from a pearly white, with a narrow edging of purplish brown, to a dark bronzy 

 green, with a brownish black band towards the extremity, and the outer feathers broadly tipped with 

 white. 



His Excellency Lord Harris, Governor of Trinidad, has lately brought fine examples from thence to this 

 country and presented them to the Zoological Society of London ; and his Lordship has kindly promised 

 that on his return to the seat of his government he will pay considerable attention to the natural history of 

 the TrocMlidcB inhabiting that fine island, and communicate the result of his observations for the enrichment 



