Zoological Illustrations Volume Ii Part 6

_Black Humming Bird._

GENERIC CHARACTER.

_Rostrum elongatum, r.e.c.t.u.m vel arcuatum, flexile, gracillimum, ad basin depressum, mandibula superiore inferiorem amplectente et tantum non obtegente. Lingua jaculatoria, bifida, tubulata. Nares basales, membrana tectae, apertura in longum fissa. Pedes sedentes, minimi. Alae longissimae, subarcuatae, remigibus prioribus longissimis, caeteris gradatim brevioribus._

Typus Genericus _T. Moschitus_ Linn.

Bill long, straight or curved, flexible, very slender, the base depressed, the upper mandible folding over, and almost covering the lower. Tongue long, extensible, bifid, and tubular. Nostrils basal, covered by a membrane, and opening by a long slit. Feet sitting, very small. Wings very long, curved, the outer quill longest, the rest gradually becoming shorter.

Generic Type _Ruby-crested Humming Bird_ Lath.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_T. niger; auribus aliquando rufis; tectricibus, cauda uropygioque colore subviridi nitidis; rectricium lateralium nivearum apicibus colore chalybeio tinctis._

Black; the ears sometimes rufous; wing covers tail and rump glossed with green; lateral tail feathers snowy, tipt with steel blue.

Like the resplendent jewels of the earth, the Humming Birds are the living gems of the air. United to the most delicate form, these fairies of creation have the dazzling effulgence of every tint that sparkles from the ruby, the topaz, the sapphire, and the emerald, lavished on their plumage; they seem created but for our admiration, to sport in the ardent beams of a tropical sun, and to feast on the nectar of the sweetest blossoms; and, like sparks of many coloured fire, they shoot from flower to flower, exulting in their little life of brightness and pleasure.

To return, however, to that now before us, it should be observed, that it is the only species whose plumage does not in any way accord with that of the rest of its brethren. No author appears to have described it, although I met with it very frequently in Brazil: a specimen in the British Museum has the ears reddish brown, but this seldom occurs. The figure is of the size of life. All the species are natives of tropical America.

Pl. 83

[Ill.u.s.tration]

TROCHILUS falcatus,

_Sickle-winged Humming Bird._

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 82.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_T. viridis, gula pectoreque nitide caeruleis; corpore anoque caeruleo-viridibus; rectricibus paribus, rufo-cinnamominis; remigibus exterioribus falcatis, scapis dilatato compressis._

Green; throat and breast s.h.i.+ning blue; body and vent blue green; tail even, rufous cinnamon; exterior quills falcated, the shafts dilated and compressed.

Nothing can exceed the dazzling brilliancy of colours united in this little creature. It is, however, more remarkable from the extraordinary construction of its wings, the outer quills of which are greatly curved, and the shafts dilated to a most disproportionate size; a similar structure occurs also in the Broad-shafted H. B. of Dr. Shaw, (_T. latipennis_.) That it is intended to fulfil some important office in their economy, will admit of no doubt, for in wisdom are all things made; conjecture must, however, in numberless instances, supply our want of real knowledge; and it may not be improbable that such additional strength in the wings has been given them as a defence against the small birds of prey, (_Lanii._ Lin.) which abound in tropical countries.

The figure is the size of life; bill curved from the base, with a black stripe between that and the eye; plumage above deep s.h.i.+ning green, most brilliant on the sides of the neck; ear feathers blue green; chin and throat of a most brilliant deep violet blue, changing in some lights to purple, becoming greenish on the breast, and blended with the green of the neck; all these feathers are disposed like scales; vent golden green, with two tufts of downy white feathers round the thighs. Tail even, the feathers broad and truncately rounded, of a rufous cinnamon colour, tipt with a purple black bar; the middle feathers darkest, and glossed with green.

Of this rare and unrecorded species, a fine example existed in Mr.

Bullock's Museum, which was purchased to enrich that of Paris: another, more imperfect, was sent Mr. Falkner from the Spanish Main. The male of _T.

latipennis_ is undescribed, Dr. Shaw having only seen the female; both s.e.xes, however, are in my possession. The plant introduced in the plate (_c.l.i.toria Plumieri_) is a native of Brazil.

Pl. 84

[Ill.u.s.tration]

ACHATINA emarginata,

_Notched Achatina._

GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 30.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

_A. (div. 2.) testa producta, sub-flava, fasciis viridibus flavisque ornata; apertura ovato-rotundata, alba; labio exteriore medio inciso; basi emarginata._

Ach. (div. 2.) Sh.e.l.l elongated, cream colour, with green and yellow bands; aperture ovately rounded, white; outer lip notched in the middle; base emarginate.

A new and very delicate species, which may have been overlooked as a variety of _A. virginea_, from which it differs in the comparative length of the basal whorl, which in that is remarkably short, in being a much more elongated sh.e.l.l, in the mouth being oval, but above all, in having a conspicuous notch in the middle of the outer lip, where the green band commences; the aperture (excepting the inner lip) is pure white. It is in Mr. Dubois' possession, and its country unknown.

ACHATINA vittata,

_Ribbon Achatina--middle figures._

_A. (div. 2.) testa ovato-oblonga, cra.s.sa, albente, vittis nigris fuscisque angustis ornata; apertura ovata, sub-contracta; columella tantum non recta; basi subtruncata._

A. (div. 2.) Sh.e.l.l ovate-elongated, thickened, fulvous white, with narrow black and brown bands; aperture oval, slightly contracted; pillar nearly straight; base sub-truncated.