The beautiful little Cayenne fairy (Heliothrix auritus) is often seen
flitting among the flowers which adorn the trees near the mouth of the
Amazon. It may be known by the snowy-white under part of its body,
while the upper surface is of a glossy golden green, extremely light on
the forehead. The middle feathers of the tail are blue-black, and the
three exterior ones are white. Across each side of the face is a
jet-black line, terminated by a small tuft of violet-blue, while below
the black line runs a luminous green one. Few of these beautiful little
creatures have any voice which rises above a mere twitter.
The best songster of the tribe is the Vervain humming-bird, found in the
West India Islands. Those on the Amazon are almost mute. Small as they
are, they are brave little creatures, and several of the species are
tamed without difficulty.
Mr Webber describes one of the means by which nature has gifted these
little creatures of escaping the observation of their foes. On leaving
the spot where a number had perched not far from their nests, he
observed them shoot suddenly and perpendicularly into the air till they
had got out of sight. After a time, down came the hen-bird, like a
fiery aerolite from the sky, upon the very spot where she had built her
nest, so rapidly, as almost to escape observation.
Different species, of great varieties of form and colour, are found
throughout the continent. Although the greater number are confined to
particular localities, others have a wide range.
The Trochilus forficatus is found over a space of 2500 miles on the west
coast, from the hot, dry country of Lima to the forests of Tierra del
Fuego, where it may be seen flitting about in snow-storms; as also in
the humid climate of the wooded island of Chiloe, where Darwin found it
skimming from side to side amidst the drooping foliage. On the mountain
heights, in the thick forests and open plains, wherever flowers and
insects exist, there one or more species make their home throughout the
continent.