xxii INTRODUCTION. 



the various genera. The outer feathers of the Oreotrochili are narrow, rigid, and turned inwards : this 

 calliper-like form one might suppose would assist, in comhination with the lengthened hind toe and claw, in 

 supporting the hird on the sides of rocks ; and we find that this is really the case ; for Mr. Fraser informs me 

 that he has seen several of the Oreotrochilus Pichhicha clinging, half-benumbed with cold, on a ledge of rocks 

 during one of the frequent snow-storms which occur on Pichincha. Quinarians would pronounce this to 

 be the scansorial type among Humming-Birds. Now I think we may fairly infer that many of the other 

 structures above alluded to are equally adapted for some peculiar purpose ; yet there must be exceptions 

 to this hypothesis, since the structure of the caudal feathers is in many instances totally different in the 

 two sexes of the same species. 



Nothing has yet been said respecting the legs and feet. Diminutive as they are, they will be found to 

 be very diversified. In some instances the tarsi are bare, in others they are thickly clothed, as in the 

 Eriocnemkles '^ in some the toes are very diminutive, and are furnished with equally small, rounded nails; 

 in others all the toes, particularly the hinder one, are greatly developed and armed with long, curved, and 

 extremely sharp, spine-like claws. This latter form is admirably adapted for clinging to the petals of flowers, 

 a habit common to many members of the family, which not only settle upon, but thrust their spiny bills 

 through the bell-shaped flowers. The power these little birds possess of clinging to the branches is very 

 remarkable ; they hang on with their little feet and hooked claws like bats, with such pertinacity that I was 

 often fearful of dislocating the legs of my living birds when attempting to remove them from their perch. 



I may mention here, although somewhat out of place, that the skins of Pterophanes Temmincki have a 

 strong musky smell, very similar to that exhaled by the Petrels. I consider this merely a coincidence; for 

 although I am aware that many species of Humming-Birds fly close to the surface of the water, they are 

 merely hawking for insects among the aquatic plants peculiar to such situations. 



It is the great diversity of forms in this family of birds which renders the study of them so very 

 interesting. If these little objects were magnified to the size of Eagles, their structural differences would 

 stand out in very bold relief, and the many marked generic distinctions they present would be far more 

 clearly perceptible. 



The preceding remarks have reference to such points of structure as may be considered to have an 

 influence on the well-being of the birds. I shall now say a few words on those parts of the plumage which 

 apparently are given for the purpose of ornament only :— the crests of Cephalepis and Orthorhynchus ; the 

 beards oi Ramphomkron and Omjpogon ; the ear-tufts oi Pefasophora ?iW^Heliothnx \ the elegant appendages 

 to the neck of the Lophornithes ; the singular plume-like under tail-coverts of Chalyhura, which in their 

 structure and snowy whiteness strongly remind one of the corresponding feathers of the Marabou 

 Stork, &c. 



The members of most of the genera have certain parts of their plumage fantastically decorated; and in 

 many instances most resplendent in colour. My own opinion is, that this gorgeous colouring of the 

 Humming-Birds has been given for the mere purpose of ornament, and for no other purpose of special 

 adaptation in their mode of life— in other words, that ornament and beauty merely as such was the end 

 proposed— especially when we remember that the plumage of Humming-Birds seems to follow a general rule 



