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GIGANTIC. 



PLATE VII.— FIG. 2. 



Trochilus gigas. This, as far as size is concerned, is the King 

 of the Humming Birds; it is the largest that has been discovered, 

 its length being nearly eight inches. It inhabits the forests in 

 the interior of Chili, and may be found in all the country ex- 

 tending from thence to the foot of the mountain range called the 

 Andes. It was at first supposed to be an inhabitant of Brazil, 

 and may be so, but of the few specimens that have been brought 

 into Europe, none have come from that country. It is rather 

 a stoutly-made bird, with large wings and a broad forked tail; 

 the bill is long, and swells out rather as it approaches its ter- 

 mination. The crown of the head, back, and wing coverts are 

 brownish green, with reflections of the latter colour; the under 

 parts of the body are a light brownish red, shaded with green, 

 and this tint extends up the cheeks and over the base of the 

 bill; all through these parts the feathers present a waved or 

 mottled appearance, on account of being lighter at the tips than 

 they are at the bottoms. The wings are purplish brown, as is 

 the tail, with golden green reflections, having the appearance 

 of bronze; there is not that metallic brilliancy on the throat 

 remarkable in most Humming Birds, although the feathers are 

 close and scaly. The females and young birds are said to differ 

 from the full-grown male, in having the feathers of the upper- 

 parts bordered with pale red, and those on the breast and belly 

 tipped with white: there is also some pure white about the 

 tail. 



It has been observed that, in its general contour, this bird is 

 much like the Swift, than which, however, the bill is considerably 

 longer, and the body stouter; it is evidently a very strong flyer, 

 as its extended range would indicate. It appears to be migra- 

 tory, passing, according to Beeche)', from the parched deserts of 

 the north, a little before the vernal or spring equinox, for the 

 purpose of breeding in Chili, where it is called the Picaflor 

 grande, or Great Pick-flower. At present it is the only repre- 

 sentative of the genus Patagona. 



D 



