HUMMING-BIRD. 341 



the British Museum, but no history annexed : it seems to be some- 

 what allied to the last species. 



70— VIOLET-EARED HUMMING-BIRD. 



Trochilus auritus, Ind. Orn. i. 311. Gm. Lin. i. 493. 

 Mellisuga Cayanensis major, Bris. iii. 722. t. 37. 3. Id. 8vo. ii. 38. 

 Oiseau-mouche a oreilles, Buf. vi. 32. Ois. dor. i. 57. pi. xxv. xxvi. 

 Violet-eared Humming-Bird, Gen. Syn. ii. 767. Nat. Misc. pi. 977. 



LENGTH four inches seven lines. Bill eleven lines, black ; the 

 upper parts of the head, neck, and body green gold; beneath white; 

 on each side of the head a band of black, from the base of the bill, 

 passing under the eyes, and finishing behind them ; behind this 

 band, beneath the ears, a very splendid violet spot ; thighs brown ; 

 four of the middle tail feathers deep blue black, the others white, 

 and even in length, and cuneiform ; wings and tail even in length ; 

 legs feathered to the toes, which are blackish ; the violet spot behind 

 the ears is composed of two tufts of feathers, and double the length of 

 the others, being most soft, and downy, the webs very loose, and com- 

 posed of five or six feathers. 



The female has not these tufts, nor is the black streak under the 

 eye so distinct as in the male. 



Inhabits Cayenne. 



A. — Length five inches. Bill strait, dusky ; base of the under 

 mandible white ; the feathers of the crown a little elongated ; loose, 

 and green ; from the corner of the mouth a purplish streak passes 

 under the eye, after which it spreads into a broad patch, and finishes 

 on the ears ; beneath this is another patch of greenish blue, reaching 

 to about the middle of the neck on each side; the rest of the plumage 



