32 
PICARIAN BIRDS. 
he observed this bird clinging to rocks, a habit which, as he justly observes, 
explains the use of the longer feet and claws. He believes that these birds build 
their nests under overhanging ledges of rock, and breed in companies, the size of 
the nest being very large, equalling that of a man’s head. The nest itself 
is comprised of wool, vicunia’s hair, moss, and feathers, while at the top of this 
great mass is a little cup-shaped depression in which the eggs are deposited. One 
curious nest was found by Professor Jameson of Quito, suspended to a rope hanging 
from the ceiling of a deserted house. When one side of the nest is lighter than 
the other, the birds restore the equilibrium by adding a small stone or a square of 
earth to the other side, so that the eggs run no danger of falling out. 
Giant Humming-- The largest known member of the family is the sole representa- 
Bird - tive of the genus Patcigona, and attains a length of 8J inches, while 
the wing measures between 5 and 6 inches. This bird is found along the Andes 
from Chili northwards to Ecuador, and is easily recognised by its large size and 
somewhat sombre coloration; while it is further distinguished by its strong feet, 
and the white band on the rump, which sharply contrasts with the rest of the 
plumage of the back. The flight is also peculiar, for although, according to 
Darwin, the bird hovers over flowers, it does so with a very slow and deliberate 
movement, quite unlike the vibratory one common to most species. When 
hovering by a flower, he says, its tail is constantly expanded and shut like a fan, 
the body being kept in a nearly vertical position; while he further mentions that 
he never saw any other bird where the force of its wings appeared, as in a 
butterfly, so powerful in proportion to the weight of its body. Mr. Ridgway adds 
that the flight of this great humming-bird is quite as noiseless as that of a 
butterfly. In Peru the species is not rare in the ravines, where several may often 
be met with together. In its flight it presents considerable resemblance to a swift, 
and only differs in its more subdued motions, though it often glides through the 
air without a movement of the wings. It visits a certain species of Jcccksonia, 
and the head of every specimen is tinged with yellow from this plant. It has also 
a habit of mounting into the air, beating its wings in a vertical position, and 
returning to its perch. The only note is a subdued whistle. 
Racket-Tailed Unmistakable on account of its relatively large tail and con- 
Humming Bird, .spicuous crest, the beautiful and curious racket-tailed humming-bird 
(Loddigesia mirabilis ) is one of the smallest representatives of the whole family. 
In the tail, while the two outermost feathers are long and pointed, the second pair 
are produced in a wire-like form, crossing each other near the middle of their 
length, and terminating in a large racket-like expansion of a beautiful purple hue, 
First described from a single specimen in 1847, the species was not met with again 
till 1880, when some fine examples were obtained from Mr. Stolzmann. The 
original specimen came from Upper Amazonia, from the same locality where 
Stolzmann’s examples were obtained. It appears to be confined to the valley of 
the Utcubamba, a little river on the right of the Maranon system, at an elevation 
of some eight thousand feet. The country is open, with here and there a little 
valley more richly clothed with vegetation, while an occasional clump of trees 
survives, remains of the ancient forest which once was everywhere throughout the 
region. Dense thickets abound, and a species of Alstromeria, of a red colour, is 
