"Like others of its family," says Darwin, "it moves from place to place with a rapidity which may be compared to that of the syrphus among dipterous insects, or sphinxes among moths; but whilst hovering over a flower it flaps its wings with a very slow and powerful movement, totally different from that vibrating one common to most of the species which produces the humming noise. I never saw any other bird whose force of wing appeared (as in a butterfly) so powerful in proportion to the weight of its body. When hovering by a flower its tail is constantly expanded and shut, like a fan, the body being kept in a nearly vertical position. This action seems to steady and support the bird between the slow movements of its wings."
THE GIANT HUMMING BIRD (Patagona gigas).
"This largest of all Humming Birds," observes Gould, "is said to be a bold and vigorous flier, to be quick in all its actions, and to pass from flower to flower with the greatest rapidity; notwithstanding the breadth and volume of its wings, which would seem to be far better adapted for lengthened and continuous progress than for poising in the air, which the bird is in the constant habit of doing while visiting, with little choice, the summer flowers of the forest. It is stated that, unlike the other members of the family, it may frequently be seen perched on some small tree or shrub."
Mr. Cumming states that in Chili the Patagona gigas is strictly migratory; it arrives from the north in August, and after spending three months in that country, during which time it breeds, returns to whence it came. The nest is a somewhat large, cup-shaped structure, composed of mosses, lichens, and similar materials, put together with cobwebs, and placed in the fork of the branch of some tree or shrub, generally on one overhanging a turbulent stream of water. It lays two eggs, which are white, and about three-quarters of an inch from end to end.
THE SWORD-BILL HUMMING BIRD (Docimastes ensifer).
THE SWORD-BILL HUMMING BIRD.
The SWORD-BILL HUMMING BIRD (Docimastes ensifer) cannot possibly be mistaken for any other species, owing to the extraordinary size of the slightly-curved beak, which fully equals the entire body in length; the wing is short and broad, and the very decidedly forked tail of medium size. The entire mantle is of a beautiful mineral green; the head copper-red; the throat, centre of breast, and under side of a greenish bronze, which shades into light green at the sides. A small white spot is placed behind the eye; the wings are purplish brown; the tail-feathers dark brown, with a metallic green lustre; the beak is blackish brown, and foot yellowish brown. The male is eight inches and a half long (of this measurement four inches belong to the beak); the wing is three inches, and the tail two inches and a half. The female is of paler hue on the beak, and spotted with white and brown on the under side, enlivened by a metallic shimmer on the sides; her entire length is seven inches and a half, the beak measuring but three inches. This new and remarkable species, we are told by Gould, inhabits the magnificent region of Santa Fé de Bogota, and was also seen in the Caracas and Quito by Mr. Hartwig, the celebrated botanist and traveller, who states that he observed it engaged in procuring insects from the lengthened corollas of flower-bells, for exploring which its elongated beak is admirably fitted; affording another instance of the wonderful adaptation of structure to a special purpose so frequently observable in every department of Nature's works.