352 HUMMING-BIRD. 



gloss ; sides and thighs grey brown, glossed with the same ; throat, 

 fore part of the neck, breast, and belly, whitish grey ; on the throat 

 some minute specks ; under tail coverts white ; quills violet brown ; 

 tail steel black ; legs covered to the toes with grey brown feathers ; 

 toes and claws black. 



The female differs, in having the under parts of the body dirty 

 grey, and the tail feathers white at the tips, except the two middle 

 ones, which are wholly like the back. It makes the nest of cotton, 

 forming it outwardly with lichen, and entwining it round the twig, 

 and thorns of the citron tree, on which it mostly builds, and it is of 

 so firm a texture, as not to be easily broken by winds. It is observed 

 that this, as well as all others of the Genus, lays two eggs ; that 

 the hen sits twelve days, and the young are hatched on the 13th ; 

 these stay in the nest about eighteen days, after which they follow- 

 their parents. When kept in confinement, they may be fed with fine 

 cake, made with biscuit, wine, and sugar ; and it is observed, that 

 they pass their tongue over this paste ; yet we may suppose, that this 

 alone would not long suffice for their existence, without the natural 

 food from flowers. 



The adult male has the sides of the breast and belly glossed with 

 copper green in some lights. 



Inhabits St. Domingo. 



78— BLUE-FRONTED HUM MING-BIRD. 



Trochilus frontalis, Ind. Orn. i. 318. 



— —- — glaucopis, Gm. Lin. i. 497. 



Mellisuga Brasiliensis cauda bifurca, Bris. iii. 724. t. 36. 5. Id. 8vo. ii. 38. 



Guainumbi major, Rati, 82. No. 2. 



Oiseau-mouche a Queue fourchue du Bresil, Ois. dor. i. 116. 



Marcgrave's 2d Humming-Bird, Will. Engl. p. 231. No. 2. 



Blue-fronted Humming-Bird, Gen. Syn. ii. 786. 



LENGTH four inches and a half. Bill eleven lines, black ; 

 forehead blue, with a tinge of bright violet ; top of the head green 



