418 BIRDS OK JiKlTLSIi GUIANA. 



and breast deep red, paler aud more coppery red on the upper 

 wing-coverts and lower back ; upper tail-coverts green ; middle 

 tail-feathers purple, the outer feathers pale chestnut ; flight- 

 faathers brown ; throat-patch bright green with golden reflections; 

 abdomen bright fiery-red ; under tail-coverts dark bronze-green; 

 under wing-coverts dark cinnamon. " Bill black ; feet hazel/' 



Total length 198 mm., culmen 24, wing 81, tail, middle feathers 

 100, lateral ones 53. 



The description of the male is based on a specimen collected 

 on the Mazaruni River. 



Adult female. Differs entirely from the adult male in being 

 dark green above and below with a coppery-red throat-patch. 



Breeding-season. Unknown in British Guiana. 



Nest. "Their beautiful little nests are made of the silky 

 substance which surrounds the seeds in the pod of the silk cotton 

 tree " (Brown). 



Eggs. White [Lloyd Price). 



Range in British Guiana. Mount Roraima, Supenaam River, 

 Bartica, Bonasika River, Mazaruni River (McConnell col- 

 lection) ; Bartica, Kamakusa, Merume Mountains, Kamarang 

 River ( Whitely); Maccasseema, Pomeroon River ( W.L. Sclater) ; 

 Aremu River (Beehe) ; Kartuni River {Brown). 



Extralimital Range. North Brazil. 



Habits. Schomburgk states (Reis. Guian. ii. p. 424) that the 

 " Caraibar " called this charming species iir«ra/>/H»7e on account 

 of its long tail-feathers = Arara — Humming-bird. Its favourite 

 haunts are the banks of the rivers, and especially the creeks. It 

 is most lively in the early part of the day. When the sun gets 

 high up in the sky it retires to more shaded places, where it remains 

 until the sun begins to set. It is not found near the mouth of the 

 rivers. Schomljurgk often found its nest on a pomeroon plant, 

 and generally built in the fork of a branch hanging over the 

 water. The outside of the nest was the same colour as that of 

 tannetl leather. To prevent the eggs or young from falling out 

 of the nest when rocked to-and-fro by the wind, the birds cunningly 

 make the sides of the nest to curve inwards. 



Mr. J. J. Quelcb, who met with the species at the Demerara 

 Falls, remarks (Timehri (2) iv. p. 115) :— " The brilliant K;jral)i- 

 miti or King Humming-bird [Topaza pella) were by no means 

 uncommon in the branches overhanging the water." 



