0t<i « II. PASSERES. 
Tribe II. Tenuirostres, 
Family III. Trochilidac. 
Thi 
e third Subfamily, 
MELLISUGINiE, or Straight-billed Humming-Birds, 
^ av e the Bill 
° Ver 1 more or less lengthened, slender, and straight ; the lateral margins more or less dilated 
Plume G ^° Wer man< ^hle ; the Nostrils basal, with the opening sometimes concealed by the projecting 
T 0f . s ' ^ 1C long and pointed : the Tail of various lengths and forms : the Tarsi very short : the 
a Ion G ° r ^ eSS lon S > the outer toe united at its base ; and the hind toe long, and armed usually with 
o claw. 
Mellisuga Briss .* 
Till 
of v * 
ac ute ailous lengths, straight and slender, with the culmen mostly rounded to the tip, which is 
irely ^ Ul r '^ mar b’ ns partly dilated over the lower mandible ; the nostrils basal, with the opening 
<*tir ( 
quill th ° UC< r ^ e ^ ^ the projecting frontal plumes. Wings generally long and pointed, with the first 
s °tn e t; rn ^° n S es t- Tail more or less lengthened, and of various forms. Tarsi very short, slender, and 
es Peciali C(>Vere ^ lj y plumes. Toes rather long, and slender ; the lateral ones united at the base, 
Mth a j ^ ° uter toe, which is longer than the inner one; the hind toe long, slender, and armed 
curved claw. 
The 
^ Within a 8ll0 ° f t this S enus are dispersed throughout the vast continent of the New World, and the adjacent islands that 
so, ' Ve T as o-^anee of the coast. Some of them even brave the snow of the more northern and southern portions, 
Uij ° at " e peculi G nioun ^ ainous districts of the interior. The habits of the species vary in different localities ; 
f rorti ^ ai hie lowlands, and others again remain stationary on the mountains ; while there are species that 
nit 'ably n . e to hie other at certain seasons of the year. The habits of the North American species having been so 
»C, |c notice! by I w been , ed 
^'ore a ^ C *f s hie whole family. Tlia„ 
hi '''logs h c .r Cl ' eS -°^ W * 1 ’ c ^ l ,e P°i ses ° r suspends himself on wing, for the space of two or three seconds, so steadily 
— meg. .to select from him the following remarks, especially as they are ap- 
era > befof e J eciLS °f the whole family. That author informs us that Mellisuga coluhris is extremely fond of tubular 
'hth 
of 
Steat ( j n j c ]_ ° me ^visible or only like a mist ; and you can plainly distinguish the pupil of his eye looking round 
lo u ^ or ! )u ^ es ® an d circumspection. When he alights, which is frequently, he always prefers the small dead twigs 
-V that 0 'f 1616 ^ dresses an<J arranges his plumage with great dexterity. His only note is a single chirp, not 
in fight w j t]i j 1 sm all cricket or grasshopper, generally uttered while passing from flower to flower, or when cn- 
l ° Cot nbatants ^ fel ^ OWS 5 for » wlien tw ° males meet at the same bush or flower, a battle instantly takes place, 
' ascen( i 111 the air chirping, darting, and circling around each other, till the eye is no longer able to 
f?* of m! P, L 1ox of M C n, abl / Slletl b y Rriss °n in 1760. It embraces Caeliqena of M. Lesson (182 9) ; Les Rubis of M. Lesson (1829), with 
^ 0 ? 7 n. • Surn;.. Ole ( 1 SB 1 ^ and „ r HA.. O / 1 \ 1 . T nf 1 \/T T noonn ( 1 COON TIT I tVl Hrbi/ih 
“i ivi, , — * i w in biuL/iavco v/u/ttye/nt ui j — — — \ 
of V?Wai ns ‘ qqA 1 ? 3 ' 1 ) and Selasphorus of Mr. Swainson (1831) are coequal; Lesbia of M. Lesson (1829), with which Cynan - 
JPWo.. JV I. Lessn>, VVi.V lS |C ” ' •* n n - : - /1001 ' T - y - v _ 
