HUMMING-BIRD. 311 



violet brown ; quills and greater wing coverts the same ; the two 

 middle tail feathers black, with a violet gilded gloss; the rest purplish 

 chestnut, margined with steely black all round ; legs black. 



The female has the upper parts of the body and wings as the 

 other sex, also the chin and throat, but the breast and belly are 

 black ; tail the same, but the outer feathers with brown ends, the 

 two middle ones wholly green, like the upper parts of the body. 



Inhabits Mexico, Brasil, and Saint Domingo. Albin adds, 

 Jamaica; builds the riest ! in the Physic Nut Tree,* composed of 

 cotton, and lays two White eggs, as large as peas. 



A.— Trochilus Mango, Ind. Orn. i. 307. 20. |3. 



Largest, or blackest Humming-Bird, Rati, 187. 43. Sloan. Jam. 308. 40. 

 Purple-tailed Humming-Bird, Shaw'ssZool. viii. 296. pi. 40. Nat. Misc. pi. 333. 

 Mango Humming-Bird, Gen. Syn. ii. 759. 18. A. 



LENGTH four inches. Bill one inch, somewhat curved, and 

 black ; upper part of the body greenish black, the ends of the 

 feathers margined with copper, not very brilliant, only appearing 

 glossy in certain lights; the general hue being dusky black ; chin, 

 fore part of the heck, and breast, purple and glossy ; down the 

 middle of the whole way from the chin a stripe of black ; belly 

 dusky; on each side of the vent a small white tutt; the two middle 

 feathers of the tail and its coverts gilded greenish black, the others 

 purple, glossed with copper, margined at the tips with black ; legs 

 black. * " 



Inhabits Jamaica, from whence I have received several specimens, 

 as well as seen them in other collections, and have supposed the two 

 last described to be Varieties of each other, nor has any one spoken 

 positively to their being distinct. 



The circumstance of keeping Humming-Birds alive in their own 

 climate, by means of sugar and water, is well authenticated, and the 



* Jatropha gossypifolia, & curcas, Lin. 



