Obs. This bird resembles no other in any considerable degree; and is, therefore, to be easily distinguished. It seems to belong to some one of the subdivisions of the old genus Icterus, or of Xanthornus, which are so variously and confusedly given by professed systematists, that we have no faith in any of them; which declaration, by the way, we have no objection to embrace the present opportunity of extending to late opinionative classifications, in a manner rather general and comprehensive. It is about full time for a true zoologist to appear, who shall be capable of systematizing—of reducing to order and symmetry the vast fund of facts and detached knowledge in natural history, which the present age has accumulated. In our happier day-dreams, we have deemed it inevitable that such a one must shortly appear. The great Anglo-Saxon zoologist is yet to come.
Plate 22
The Purple-throated Humming Bird
Trochilus Alexandri (Bourcier)
TROCHILUS ALEXANDRI.—Bourcier and Mulsant.
The Purple-throated Humming Bird.
PLATE XXII.—Adult Males.
The Humming Birds are peculiar to America. Until within a comparatively recent period, about one hundred species were known to naturalists,—that being the then considered large number enumerated in works published as lately as within about twenty years. Discoveries of previously unknown species in this family of birds have been numerous beyond precedent or comparison with any other, notwithstanding the zeal and ability which ornithology has commanded within the period mentioned. At present, there are nearly three hundred ascertained species of Humming Birds. The large and recent additions have resulted, in a great measure, from the exploration of regions previously little visited or inaccessible, principally in the northern part of South America, but also in Central America and Mexico.
That portion of the continent of America between the Amazon as a southern boundary, and the Rio Grande and Gila as a northern, embracing New Grenada and Guiana, the whole of Central America and Mexico, to which may be added the West India Islands, appears to be the most productive of Humming Birds. Within that range, but especially in the Republic of New Grenada, these splendid little birds are much the most abundant, and it embraces nearly all of the most remarkable in form and most beautiful in plumage. Southward into Brazil and Peru, and other countries of South America, a considerable variety of species are also found; but, in the north, that is to say, north of the line between Mexico and the United States, we have few species of Humming Birds, and even those give us but an imperfect idea of the gorgeous tints of their relatives of the tropical regions of this continent.
Of the natural productions of America, these birds have attracted the most universal admiration. Nor has it been, by any means, without foundation. Nature appears to have exhausted herself in the lavish profusion of colors of every tint and shade with which she has adorned these gems of the animal world. They are the most splendidly colored and at the same time the most diminutive of birds. Almost every color known in art is to be met with in the plumage of some one or other of the Humming Birds, and usually with a lustre more resembling that of the most highly finished workmanship in metal, or of the most exquisite precious stones, than the transient or easily destroyed appendages of a delicate animal organization.
There are, however, some species which are quite plain in their appearance, and present little or no trace of metallic or other brilliant colors. Of these, one large species is perfectly black; others are reddish-brown, or fulvous and plain dark green.
In size, the Humming Birds vary much. The Giant Humming Bird of Brazil, which is the largest, though one of the plainest, is about the size of the Chimney Bird of the United States, and several fine species of the later discoveries in this group are but little smaller. Several species are quite as large as the House Wren. On the other hand, there are Humming Birds little larger than the Humble Bee of our meadows; and there are many species of Beetles and other coleopterous insects, that are much larger. The common ruby-throated Humming Bird of the United States, is a medium-sized species, and of respectable dimensions when compared with some of his pigmy brethren of the far South.
In form, too, they vary exceedingly. Some are very slender, and apparently feebly constituted; others are comparatively quite robust. There are species which have bills excessively long, the Sword-bearer (Trochilus ensiferus), which is about the size of the House Wren, has a bill longer than its body. So entirely disproportionate does the bill of this species appear to be, that few persons, on seeing specimens for the first time, can avoid a suspicion that it has been artificially lengthened; and we have more than once heard it suggested on such an occasion that this remarkable appendage could readily have been drawn out by processes used by comb-makers. This exceedingly long bill is, however, no inconvenience whatever to the gay little individual who is responsible for it, luckily for him;—in fact, it assists him admirably in procuring an entirely honest subsistence amongst the large trumpet-flowers, and others with long tubular corollas, abundant in tropical countries. No other known species has this organ of a length so disproportionate, though there are several in which it is unusually long for birds of such size. The bill is, however, scarcely of the same form and shape in any two species. In some, it is perfectly straight and very short; in others, as we have already observed, it is very long. Numerous others have the bill curved downwards, or scythe-shaped, and a few species have it turned upwards, presenting a very singular appearance.