336 RED-THROATED HUMMING-BIRD* 



the light, either into poHshed gold-colour or deep 

 l^rownish black : the breast and belly are white 5 

 the wings and tail purplish brown, but the two 

 middle tail-feathers green. 



The female differs in having the whole under 

 side white, without any redness on the throat : in 

 other respects it resembles the male, except that 

 all the tail-feathers, exclusive of the two middle 

 ones, are tipped with white. 



The Red-Throated Humming-Bird is a native 

 of America, continuing in the southern parts of 

 that continent during the whole year, but ap- 

 pearing in North- America in summer only. It 

 breeds in Carolina, Florida, and even, according to 

 some, in Canada. It also appears to be a native 

 of Jamaica and some other West Indian islands. 

 It remains, says Monsr. Viellot, in several of the 

 high regions of North- America for five or six 

 months together ; appearing at New- York in the 

 beginning, and even in Canada at the end of May. 

 In winter it migrates into the Floridas; and is 

 found also, though rarely, in the Antilles. 



Mr. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, has, with 

 great elegance, collected, from the first authorities, 

 the general history of this beautiful bird. 



" It flies, says he, with a swiftness which the 

 eye is incapable of following : the motion of the 

 wings is so rapid as to be imperceptible to the 

 nicest observer : lightening is scarcely more tran- 

 sient than its flight, nor the glare more bright than 

 its colours : it never feeds but upon the wing, sus- 

 pended over the flower it extracts nourishment 



