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."