The Rev. Lansdown Guilding states that this species “ sometimes deviates from its usual habits. In general
it is remarkably wild, and soon disturbed. I once, however, saw a pair o f these species almost domesticated, in
the house o f a gentleman whose kindness and humanity had brought round him many a lizard and winged pet.
They built for many years on the chain o f the lamp suspended over the dinner-table; and here they educated
several broods, in a room occupied hourly by the family. I have been seated with a large party at the table when
the parent bird has entered, and, passing along the faces o f the visitors, displaying his glorious crest, has ascended
to the young without alarm or molestation.”—Loudon’s Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. v. p. 570.
231. O r t h o r h y n c h u s o r n a t u s , G o u l d ............................................................................................... Vol. IV,.PL 206.
Habitat. One o f the Windward Islands; but which o f them, is unknown.
This species bears a general resemblance to the O. cristatus, but differs from that bird in being o f a somewhat
smaller size, and in having the basal two-thirds o f the crest glittering green and the tip only b lu e ; the crest is also
longer and more elegant in form than that o f 0 . cristatus or 0 . exilis. With the latter it never can be confounded,
while the former may always be distinguished from it by the truncate form o f the green portion o f its crest. I t is
just possible that the birds represented on the 31st and 32nd plates o f Lesson’s ‘ Histoire Naturelle des Oiseaux-
mouches ’ may have reference to this bird.
232. O r t h o r h y n c h u s e x i l i s .....................................................................................................................Vol. IV. PI. 207.
Habitat. The Islands o f Martinique, Nevis, St. Thomas, and St. Croix.
“ After a careful examination o f skins procured from St. Croix and St. Thomas,” says Mr. Alfred Newton,
“ we refer them to the above-named species, though one o f a male presents a slightly different appearance from the
ordinary type, in having a narrow blue edging to the otherwise golden-green crest, and thus exhibiting an affinity
to the closely-allied Blue-crest ( 0 . cristatus) from St. Vincent and Barbadoes. The present bird has, we believe,
hitherto been known only from Martinique and Nevis.
“ I shot a female o f this species at Southgate farm on the north shore o f the eastern end o f the Island o f St.
Croix, where much o f the land, being out o f cultivation, is chiefly covered with Casha bushes, interspersed with
Manchioneel along the coast. I have been told that a Humming-Bird smaller than the ordinary one, and therefore
probably o f this species, has been seen in other localities j but it must be very uncommon. O f its habits I know
nothing.”—Ibis, vol. i. p. 141.
The Brazilian genus Cephalepis comprises two species, with lengthened ornamental crests terminating in a
single plume, on which account they stand alone not only in their own family, but, so far as I am aware, among
birds generally. The females are entirely devoid o f this conspicuous character. I think it very probable that
additional species o f this form will be discovered when the natural productions of the interior o f Brazil become
better known.
Genus C e p h a l e p i s , B o ié .
233. C e p h a l e p i s D e l a l a n d i . . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 208
Cephalepis Delalandii, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 12.
Orthorhynchus Delalandii, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 9.
Cephalolepis Delalandi, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 61.
Habitat. Southern Brazil.
234. Ce p h a l e p i s L o d d ig e s i , Gould . . . . . . . . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 209
Cephalepis Loddiggesii, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p . 12.
Orthorhynchus Loddiggesii, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 9.
Cephalolepis Loddigesi, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 61, note.
Habitat. Minas Geraes and other parts o f eastern Brazil.
Near to Cephalepis is the
Genus K l a i s , Reichenb.,
o f which but one species is known. This singular bird, which has no ornamental crest, and but little fine colouring
to recommend it to our notice, is a native o f Venezuela and the hilly parts o f N ew Granada. The females o f this
form are much less highly coloured than the males.
235. K l a i s G u im e t i
o ... ~ . . • • • • • . . . . Vol. IV. PI. 2 1 0 .
Bastlmna Guimeti, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 12 ; Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 4 5 .
Myiabellia guimeti, Sclat. in Proc. Zool. Sqc., part xxv. p. 17.
Mellisuga Merrillii, Lawr. Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist, in New York, vol. vii. April 9, 1860.
Habitat. Venezuela and the Andes o f New Granada.
“ In the district o f E l Mineral ” in New Granada, says Dr. Merritt, “ there has been a slight attempt at cultivation
o f the soil and planting o f fruit-trees. The Orange, the Guama, and Guayava trees are the most numerous,
particularly the last-named, which is very prolific, bearing nearly throughout the year fruit in all ils stages from thé
blossom to maturity. Consequently the Guayava tree is the favourite resort o f the Humming-Bird. I often
watched these little creatures feeding and quarrelling around a tree near the door o f my palm-leaf hut ; and soon
my attention was attracted to one much smaller than the rest, whose pugnacity and indomitable ‘ pluck ' greatly
amused me. Upon closer examination o f this diminutive feathered warrior my interest increased, as I soon became
convinced that it was new to me. I frequently afterwards saw numerous specimens o f it, and almost invariably
encountered them feeding from the blossoms o f the Guayava, and I therefore conclude they are quite local in their
habitat.”
Genus M y ia b e il l ia , Bonap.
This is a very distinct generic form. Like that o f Klais, it contains but a single species, a delicately-formed
bird inhabiting Mexico and Guatemala. The male is decorated with a brilliant green gorget, a feature which is
entirely absent in the female.
236. M y i a b e i l l i a t y p i c a ........................................................................................................ Vol IV PI 211
Baucis Abeillei, Reichenb. Aufz. der Col. p. 13.
Abeillia typica, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. tom. i. p. 79, Ramphomicron, sp. 4.
Basilinna Abeillii, Reichenb. Troch. Enum. p. 11.
Baucis Abeillei, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 72.
Habitat. Mexico and Guatemala.
“ Volcan de Fuego and Coban. The barrancos o f the volcano are the only localities I am aware of, near
Dueñas, where this species is found. Here, however, it is a common bird. It is usually to be seen feeding about
upon the brushwood, seeking the flowers, &c. I t is a restless species, but shows little symptoms o f fear. My
skins from the volcano are one female and three males. The proportions at Coban are very different. Here it is
common, being found in all the mountain-hollows feeding among the Salvioe. The ratio o f the sexes is as twenty
males to one female.”—Salvin in Ibis, vol. ii. p. 262.
I must now direct the notice o f my readers to some o f the most chaste and elegant species yet discovered of
this or any other family o f birds—namely, the members o f the genera Heliactin, Heliothrix, Schistes, and Petasophora.
Genus H e l ia c t in , B o ié .
The single species o f this genus stands alone for the resplendent and richly coloured tufts o f feathers which
spring from above and behind the eye.
237. H e l i a c t i n c o r n u t a ............................................................................................... Vol. IV. PI. 212,
Heliactinus comutus, Burm. Th. Bras. tom. ii. p. 356.
Trochilus bilobus, Licht. in Mus. o f Berlin.
Heliactin comuta, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. Theil iii. p. 64.
Habitat. Brazil, particularly the district o f Minas Geraes.
The female o f this species, like that sex in the genus Heliothrix, has a longer and more ample tail than her
mate,—in which respect the form offers an affinity to the members o f the succeeding genus.
Genus H e l io t h r ix , Boié .
This, like the last, is a very well-marked form, o f which two species are natives o f Central America and New
Granada, one o f the regions o f the upper Rio Negro, and two o f the rich country o f Brazil. They are all
distinguished by being decorated with beautiful blue tufts on the sides o f the neck, relieved by glittering green
cheeks and snowy breasts. In addition to this fine display o f colours, two o f them have rich blue crowns ; there is