At the north of the range, between Santa Fe de Bogota and Quito, at an
elevation often of 12,000 feet, is found the sword-bill humming-bird.
Its name is derived from the length of its beak, which is nearly as long
as its body, and enables it to seek its food from the long pendent
corollas of the Brugmansae. Nothing can exceed the elegance of its
movements as it probes the pendent blossoms, searching to their inmost
depths. Its nest, woven with wonderful skill and beauty of
construction, is fastened to the end of a twig. The head and upper part
of the body of the male bird are green, glossed with gold in some parts,
and with bronze in others. The wings are dark black-brown, with a
purple gloss; while the tail is dark black, the upper surface being
bronzed. A conspicuous white, slightly elongated spot exists behind
each eye, and on each side of the chest there is a broad crescent-shaped
mark of light green. The under parts are of a bronzed green, and the
under tail-coverts are flaked with a little white.