BLACK-BREASTED HUMMING-BIRD. 29.0 



Monsr. Viellot seems inclined to suppose the 

 Trochilus Dominicus or Domingo FJumming-Bird 

 of Dr. Latham, [Vert perle of Buffon,) to be the 

 young of this species. It is described as mea- 

 suring rather more than four inches, and as having 

 the upper parts of the head, neck, body, and tail 

 of a light gold-green, mixing at the sides of the 

 neck and breast with the pearl-grey colour of the 

 under parts : the wings are violet-brown, the tail 

 white at the tip, and of a polished steel-colour 

 beneath. 



The Black-Breasted Humming-Bird is a native 

 of the West-Indian islands, and has been observed 

 by Monsr. Viellot to frequent in preference such 

 flowering shrubs as are planted near houses^ 

 perching mostly on some dry twig, and at such 

 times spreading its tail in a semicircle. When 

 flying it utters an almost continual sharp cry. It 

 rarely suffers any other bird to frequent the tree 

 in which it builds, and Monsr. Viellot has even 

 seen it drive away a Mocking-Bird, by flying 

 about its head and perpetually assaulting the eyes 

 with its long beak. The nest is somewhat more 

 than an inch in diameter, and covered externally 

 with lichens ; the young are two in number, and 

 when in their first plumage have the under parts 

 brown, without any gloss. 



The female Black- Breasted Humming-Bird i» 

 said to be distinguished from the male by having 

 the green on the fore part of the neck divided by 

 two white streaks, and the breast of a paler black 

 than that of the male. 



