Central America is the home of several beautiful species of those minute
members of the feathered tribe--the humming-birds. Among them is found
the slender shear-tail, which will be known by its deeply-forked black
tail, its wings of purple-brown, and its body of deep shining green,
changing to brown on the head, and bronze on the back and wing-coverts.
The chin is black, with a green gloss; the throat is of a deep metallic
purple; while a large crescent-shaped mark of huff appears on the upper
part of the chest. There is a grey spot in the centre of the abdomen,
and a buff one on each flank, the under tail-coverts being of a greenish
hue.
The female differs greatly from her consort. Her tail is short, the
central feathers being of a golden green; the exterior ones rusty-red at
their base, and black for the greater part of their length, with white
tips. The upper part of her body is also of a golden green; the lower
of a reddish-buff.