S. Porter—A West Indian Diary



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the brilliant coral pink beak which is tipped with black. The two

long tail feathers hang down as though slightly weighted. The inner

web of these feathers is puckered or undulated as though it had been

passed through a goffering iron. It is an amazing spectacle to see these

tiny birds hovering before the flowers with the long tail hanging down

and hardly moving. One would think that such a caudal appendage

would interfere with the flight of such an active creature as a Humming

Bird. I did notice in my brief acquaintance with this bird that it seemed

to perch a great deal, the long tail feathers often hanging over a branch

as the bird rested.


In the distance and in the shade of the trees the bird appears quite

black, as indeed most Humming Birds do. It is only when the sunlight

catches the plumage that the full beauty is revealed. This bird does

not appear to be common on the southern side of the island. I used

to make inquiries regarding it, but was told by every one that it had

gone from that side of the island.


This species is fairly common in certain districts which are on the

northern slopes of the island, and at the edge of the forest lands at a

considerable height above the sea. In his Birds of Jamaica Gosse

gives a long and very interesting account of how he tried to keep this

species in captivity, but unfortunately all his efforts were doomed

to failure, chiefly on account of his failing to supply the birds with

the minute insects upon which they mainly feed.


As with all Humming Birds the nest is a most beautiful structure,

sometimes placed on a twig, or, correctly speaking, I should say built

round a twig ; sometimes it is built from a hanging tendril or lina.


The Mango Humming Bird (Anthracothorax mango ).—This fair-

sized Humming Bird is the commonest of the Jamaican Hummers, in

fact this species is found on most Of the West Indian islands. I usually

saw it around the banana plantations of the natives busily engaged

in sucking the nectar from the banana flowers. At least that is what

they appear to be doing, but in reality Humming Birds feed mainly on

the minute insects which they find feeding upon the juices of various

tropical flowers.


The natives call this Humming Bird the “ Doctor-bird ”, why,

I have no idea. Like all other members of the family this bird is



