INTRODUCTION. ^ Iv 



" This bird/' says Mr. Edward Newton, speaking of the Humming-Birds of St. Thomas and St. Croix, '' breeds 

 from the end of March to the end of June. It is an easy matter to find its nest ; for on approaching within two 

 or three yards of where it is, the bird, if it is on, is sure to fly at you, and then retreating, remains suspended a few 

 seconds just above your head, when it darts off and perches on some dead twig, most likely on the very tree which 

 holds its nest. It does not stay here long, but takes short flights into the air, returning to the same place and, 

 when there, showing its impatience by a continual flirting, or rather twitching, of its wings. If you then retire, 

 keeping your eye on the bird, it w^ill presently dart straight on to its nest, leaving it, however, at the least move- 

 ment on your part. This species is not particular as to the tree on which it builds, as I have found nests on the 

 Silk-cotton, Mango, Manchioneel, and Avocado Pear (^Launis persea, Linn.). They are placed on a horizontal branch, 

 from half an inch to two inches thick, and are composed of cotton or the down of a species of Cactus, studded on 

 the outside with white Lichen or shreds of bark, the whole structure measuring nearly two inches across, and built 

 at the height of from about five to fifteen feet from the ground, sometimes concealed by leaves, at others on an 

 almost naked bough." — lUs^ vol. i. p, 140. 



Mr. Newton informs me that the yellow of the base of the bill and gape of this bird shows rather con- 

 spicuously. 



95. EULAMPIS LONGIROSTRIS, Gould. 



In its size, general plumage, and style of colouring, this bird is very similar to the E. chlorolcemus ; but the 

 much greater length and curvature of its bill will, I am sure, satisfy the most sceptical that it is quite distinct. I 

 possess two examples of this, both of which are unfortunately in a very bad state of plumage. One of these was 

 presented to me by my valued friend Sigismund Rucker, Esq., the other I obtained on the Continent ; I could gain 

 no information whatever as to its native locality. The average length of the bill in E. chlorolcemus is three-quarters 

 of an inch, while that of E. longirostris is nearly an inch and a quarter. 



Habitat. Unknown. 



There is scarcely a more isolated form in the family of Trochilidae than that for which the generic name of 

 Lafresnaya was proposed by Bonaparte in honour of the venerable Baron de Lafresnaye; and it gives me great 

 pleasure to assist in perpetuating the name of a French nobleman, lately deceased, who devoted the leisure hours 

 of a long life to the pleasing study of natural history. 



Strictly confined to the Andes, one of the species is quite equatorial, the others fly several degrees further 

 north. The males are very boldly coloured, the brilliant green of their throats and flanks being beautifully relieved 

 by the velvety black of the abdomen. The females have none of these contrasted colours, their entire under- 

 surface being spangled with green on a white or a buff ground. The species known are very much alike except in 

 the colouring and markings of the tail, — one of them having the four outer feathers white tipped with purplish 

 black, while the same feathers in another are buff tipped with bronzy brown, and the tail of the third is white 

 tipped with greenish bronze. 



Genus Lafresnaya, Bonap. 



96. Lafresnaya flavicaudata . Vol. II. PI. 85. 



Entima Lafresnayiy Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 51. 



Habitat. The high lands of New Granada. Common at Bogota and Popayan ; and probably in the northern 

 parts of Ecuador. 



97. Lafresnaya Gayi Vol. II. PL 86. 



Entima Gayi, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 51. 

 Habitat. Ecuador and Peru, 



98. Lafresnaya Saul^. 



Trochilus Saulce, Bourc. Rev. Zool. 1846, p. 309. 



Calothorax Saulii, Gray & Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 1 10, Calothorax, sp. 3. 



Lafresnaya SaiilcE, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. tom. i. p. 68, Lafresnaya^ sp. 3. 



Saul, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 11. 



Habitat. Unknown : supposed to be Popayan. 



