The WOOD-NYMPHS (Lampornis) possess a straight or moderately-curved beak, which is broad at its base and incised at its extremity; the long toes are armed with short, high, and very decidedly-hooked claws; the wings are slender, and the tail broad, rounded or slightly incised at its extremity. The sexes vary considerably in their coloration.
THE MANGO HUMMING BIRD.
The MANGO HUMMING BIRD (Lampornis mango) represents a group recognisable by their long, flat, broad, and curved beak, and by their short, rounded tail. In this species, which is about four inches and three-quarters long and seven inches and a half broad, with wing measuring two inches and three-quarters and tail one inch and a half, the entire mantle is of metallic green, glistening with a bright copper shade; the greyish black quills gleam with violet, and the centre tail-feathers, which are green shaded with red above, are blueish red beneath, and have a brilliant purplish black border; the exterior tail-feathers are entirely blueish red, with a similar edge. The throat, neck, breast, and upper part of the belly are of rich velvety black, shading into steel-blue at the sides; the lower portion of the belly is of copper-green. The beak of the adult is black, that of the young brown, and the foot black. The female is paler than her mate on the mantle, and white striped with black on the under side; her body is four inches and three-quarters long and seven and a half broad; the wing measures two inches and three-quarters and the tail one inch and a half.
The Mango, we learn from M. Boucier, though one of the most widely-spread members of its family, is only to be met with in hot localities; and whenever it occurs in the interior of a country, it is invariably in the warmest valleys. In disposition it is wild and quarrelsome, for although it lives in societies, several always being together, it is continually engaged in fighting with its companions and in driving away all other birds that approach the trees in which it is breeding. It inhabits Bolivia, Guiana, and Brazil. The adult does not assume its perfect plumage until the end of the second year, and in the interval passes through so many changes that the variety of appearance it presents has given rise to the various names under which these birds have been described; those obtained in Bolivia are a trifle the largest, and have the bands of green and blue at the sides of the neck a little less brilliant; in fact, the hotter the climate in which they dwell the brighter is their general appearance—the black of the throat is more intense, the green on the back and rump finer, and the violet of the tail more lustrous. The flight of this species is very rapid. Mr. Reeves informs us that in Brazil the Lampornis mango is found in Rio Janeiro, Minos Gerves, St. Paul's, Santa Catherina, and Para. The Mango frequents gardens as well as the forests, and is very common in Rio in some seasons and equally scarce at others. The nest, according to Gould, is a round cup-shaped structure, placed near the extremity of a small horizontal branch, and is composed of any cottony or similar material that may be at hand, bound together with cobwebs, and ornamented with numerous small pieces of lichens. The eggs are white, and two in number, half an inch long by three-eighths of an inch in breadth.
"Wishing to keep one of these birds alive," says Mr. Gosse, "I stationed myself near a blossoming papau-tree, one evening, with a gauze ring-net in my hand, with which I darted at one, and though I missed my aim, the attempt so astonished it that it appeared to have lost its presence of mind, so to speak, flitting hurriedly hither and thither for several seconds before it flew away. The next morning I again took my station, and stood quite still; the net being held up close to an inviting branch of blossoms, the Humming Birds came near in their course round the tree, sipped the surrounding flowers, eyeing the net hanging in the air for a moment near the fatal cluster without touching it, and then, arrow-like, darting away. At length one, after surveying the net, passed again round the tree, and in approaching it the second time, and perceiving the strange object not to have moved, he took courage and began to suck. I quite trembled with hope; in one instant the net was struck, and before I could see anything the rustling of his wings within the gauze told me that the little beauty was a captive. I brought him in triumph to the house and caged him; but he was very restless, clinging to the sides and wires, and fluttering violently about. The next morning, having gone out on an excursion for a few hours, I found the poor bird on my return dying, having beaten himself to death. I never again took this species alive."
THE RUBY AND TOPAZ WOOD-NYMPH.
The RUBY AND TOPAZ WOOD-NYMPH (Chrysolampis moschita), a most magnificently-adorned Brazilian Humming Bird, is brown on the crown of the head, with a glowing throat of ruby-red, and upper breast irradiated by a tint that can only be compared to the golden glow of sunrise. The wings gleam with a violet light, and the light brown tail has each feather relieved by a black border. The beak and feet are black. The female and young are metallic green above and grey on the under side. This species is four inches long and five broad, the wing measures two inches and the tail one inch and a half.
The central part of South America affords a home to this most exquisitely-ornamented little bird. "If any one species of this extensive family be better known than any other," says Gould, "it is undoubtedly the Ruby and Topaz Humming Bird, for it is not only one of the earliest discovered, but its beauty is of such a character as to fix at once the attention of every observer. It is also one of the commonest of the entire group, and plays no inconsiderable part in commerce, as the capturing and preparing specimens, which are sent home by thousands, affords considerable employment to the Brazilian slaves and others in its native country; moreover, in Europe and elsewhere, this species always forms a conspicuous object in the groups of birds arranged under glass shades. But, alas! nothing is known as to its manner of life, for though it has been described for more than a hundred years, and its native country repeatedly visited by enterprising explorers, no one of them has placed on record any details as to its habits. It is said to perch occasionally, and spread its large, rounded tail to the fullest extent, like the Peacock. The cup-shaped nest is also known to be composed of cottony material, and decorated externally with leaves and small patches of lichens."
The FLOWER-NYMPHS (Florisugus) are for the most part powerfully formed and large Humming Birds, with a short tail, scarcely exceeding the closed wing in length. The strong beak is not incised, and the sexes differ more or less in their coloration. Some of them appear to be migratory; at least, they would seem to approach the tropic during the colder parts of the year, and to retreat before the returning heat, thus maintaining an equable temperature.