N. Wharton-Tigar—Notes from the London Zoo



63



of the White-bellied Emerald (. Agyrtria leucogaster). There are two out¬

standing varieties from Martinique, French West Indies, the Gilt Crested

Humming Bird ( Ornithorhynchus exilis), a beautiful fairy-like little

creature, 3| inches in length, with a metallic golden-green crest deepen¬

ing in hue at the base ; and from the same island and also found in

Nevis comes the Garnet-throated Humming Bird (Eulampis jugularis );

the colour of the throat when the light shines on it is too lovely, a

wonderful vinous purple ; head, upper surface of body, flank?, and

abdomen velvety black, tail very dark green ; the coloration of the

bird is superb ; but it is of a heavy type, and not as attractive in

flight or as gay in its movements as many other Hummers.


The Zoo also have Fraser’s Humming Bird ( Threnestes fraseri).

I was unable to find this bird, so cannot describe it.


And last but not least, in the large central aviary in the Small

Bird House, with specimens of many and varied kinds of birds, both

large and small, we find the Swallow-tailed Humming Bird (Eupetomenia

macroura). In a good light this is a gorgeous bird, prevailing colour

peacock blue, with long swallowlike tail. They are as hard as nails,

and have been known to winter out of doors in this country. This

variety is found throughout Brazil. Owing to restrictions being placed

on catching birds by the Brazilian Government, the supply is likely

to be almost cut off from this source, which gave the Zoo many very

lovely examples in the past, such as the little Racquet-tailed (Discosura

longicauda), a star turn for a long time ; Heliomaster mesoleucus

squamosus, a variety with a very long beak and large luminous ruby

patch on throat. This species had a long life in the collection ; then

the well-known and plentiful Chrysolampis moschitus , one of the loveliest

of Hummers, Waterton’s Wood Nymph ( Thalurania watertoni),

Heliotrise auriculata, Lophornis magnificus, and two Wood Hermits

(Phsethornis superciliosa and P. pygmasa), varieties that so far have

not thriven in captivity ; but the last named lived for a time in a

special cage, and was a very great attraction to visitors on account

of its minute size.


We shad look forward in the future to the arrival of many species

not yet seen alive in this country from other parts of the New

World.



