The wonderful little Hum- 
ming-Birds, which contain the 
very smallest as well as the 
most gorgeously coloured of the 
feathered tribes, are natives of 
the New World ; and in manv 
places, especially in Central 
America and the neighbouring 
islands, are very common. Mostly 
they love the hot regions, 
but, in some instances, they are 
found on the tops of lofty moun- 
tains, just on the line of per- 
petual snow. 
They have very long tongues, 
which can be thrust out to a 
considerable distance, and enable 
the bird either to lick the sweet 
juices from flowers, or to cap- 
ture the tiny insects which love 
to congregate at the bottom of 
honey-bearing blossoms. 
It is only the male who pos- 
sesses the beautiful colours, the 
females being sober and simple 
in their plumage. 
The White-booted Racket- 
tail is found on the Columbian 
Andes, at a great elevation. It 
is a wonderful bird, on account 
of the long tail feathers with their 
racket-like tips. While the bird 
is flying through the air these 
feathers wave about in a most 
graceful manner. The flight 
is swift and straight, like an 
arrow shot from a bow. 
WHITE-BOOTED RACKET-TAIL. 
Mathura Underwoodii . 
Male and Female. 
There are several species belonging to this genus, among which may be 
mentioned the Peruvian Racket-tail, a bird which may be distinguished by 
the rusty-red colour of the leg-muffs. 
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