'248 STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF THE 



The black humming bird is the smallest that has yet been 

 found, being about one third smaller than the former. It is 

 covered with feathers of a greenish brown colour, excepting 

 the large ones of the wings and tail, which are of a shining 

 black. All the feathers are beautifully glossy. Its bill is 

 black, in thickness about equal to a pin, and bent near the 

 end. It has a small tuft on the crown of the head, which is 

 green at the bottom, but of a fine glittering gold colour at the 

 top. These birds sometimes weigh less than fifty grains. 



I have thus described some of the most curious of the fea- 

 thered tribe, which are natural to Guyana. To particularize 

 them all would require bulky volumes and numerous plates. 

 There are wild ducks, teal, partridges, &;c. which differ very 

 little from those of England, and which it would be tedious 

 to enumerate minutely. 



Insects abound here in vast numbers, from the continued 

 warmth of the climate, which is favourable to their produc- 

 tion and longevity. I shall mention a few which invite atten- 

 tion by their curious history, or which compel attention by 

 their stings. 



The blatta, cock-roach, or caroche, is about an inch long, 

 and of a brown reddish colour; its form is a flatted oval; 



