MELLISUGA MINIMA.
Little Humming-Bird.
Trachilm minimus, Linn. Syst. tom. i. p. 193.— Ib. Gmel. tom. i. p. 500.—Lath. Ind. Orn., toI. i.
p. 320. Edw. Glean., tom. ii. p. 105. pi. 105.-—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 347-
Mellivora Av is minima, Sloane, Jam., p. 307. No: xxxviii. tab. 264. fig. 1.
Polytmus minimus variegatm, Browne, Nat. Hist, of Jam. p. 475 female.
l e p l u s p e tit Oiseau mouche, Buff. Hist, des Ois., tom. vi. p. 11. pi. 1.—PI. Enl.276 fig. 1.
LOiseau mouche a ventre gris, Vieill. Ois..dor., tom. i. pi. 53. p. 99.
L e tres p e tit Oiseau mouche, Vieill. Ois. dor., tom. i. pi. 64. p. 113.
Trochilus minutulus, Vieill. Ois.'dé 1‘Am. Sept., tom. ii. p. 73.
Mellisuga, Briss. Orn., tom. in. p. 695. pi. xxxyi. fig. 1.— Ib. 8vo. tom. ii. p. 29-
-------------- Dominicensis, Briss. Orn., tom, iii. p. 702. pi. xxxvi. fig. 8.
Trochilus Vieilloti, 'Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 347.
Mellisuga Vieilloti, Steph. Cont. of Shaw's Gen. Zool., vol. xiv. p: 249.
Omismya minima, Less. Ois. Mou., pi. 79, fern.—Ib. Ind. Gen. et Syn. des Ois. du Gen. Tro-
chiius, p. xxvii.
Least Humming-Bird, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 788.—Shaw, Nat. Misc., vol. xii. pi. 489.—
Ib. Zool. Lect., vol. i. pi. 62.—Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iv. p. 359.
Mellisuga humilis, Gosse, Birds of Jam., text, p. 127-
Trochilus Catharines, Sallé, Rev. Zool. 1849, p. 498.
Hylocharis nigra, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i. p. 114, Hylocharis, sp. 16.
Mellisuga minima, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., p. 81.
Trochilus niger, Gmel., Lath., See. 1
referring the above long list of synonyms to one and the same species of Humming-Bird, I know that I
i deviating from the opinion of some writers on the subject; but after devoting the utmost attention to
e matter, I have been unable to arrive at any other conclusion j at the same time I am open to conviction :
any proofs that I am in error can be adduced before the completion of the present work, I shall be happy
rectify any mistakes-into which I may have fallen. I may state, however, that my own view is entirely
lincided in byM. Bourcier, a gentleman, whose long attention to, and ample opportunities for acquiring a
lowledge of the subject, render his opinion of the highest value; he has, moreover, given me permission
state that he believes the celebrated little Humming-Bird of the Loddigesian collection, formerly m that
■ Mr Leadbeater and earlier still in that of Mr. Bullock, to be an immature bird of the spec.es here
mred- it is but fair, however, to state that this was not the opinion of the late Mr. George Loddiges,
ho considered it to be a distinct species, and the minute egg accompanying it to be genuine: for myself,
must sav that so fhr as I am able to judge from an examination of the specimen through the glass-
:se in which it’is deposited, it appears to me to he an immature bird of this or some other species.
The Mellisuga m i L is very generally dispersed over nearly the whole of Jamaica and the greater
m of St. Domingo, but has not asjet been found elsewhere ; those islands may therefore be regarded
s true habitat. Its small size having attracted very general observation H i more has been written i:ttle Humming-Bird than any other known species; the most lnc.d and valuable account of
spec 1 g • i jL(r G0SSe in his very interesting work on the “ Birds of Jamaica,
i habits an d . f ^ promotion of science will induce him to excuse my tran-
S After giving ^is reasons for believing this bird to he distinct from the
Yochilus minimus °f H*® tp * the5 present^pec^es3 the specific appellation of Immilis, from its habit of
“ I have ventured to g P pastures, which our other species do not. The West Indian
izzing over the low her aceou , r| ^ wecds pegiected pastures, shooting up everywhere its
ervain {Stachyta^hetd) is o ^ ^ ^ ^ rf a feot Abo(lt ^ our little Hummingender
columns, set round Drobing the azure blossoms a few inches from the ground. It
is abundant during the sumrn B P z.1. . . nonnoi * nf thp hnnpv-he.e. and with