Lovely as are the humming-birds, the cotingas, belonging to the order of
Passeres, and of which there are several species, almost rival them in
beauty of plumage. The crown of one is of a flaming red, abruptly
succeeded by a shining brown reaching half-way down the back. The
remainder of the back, rump, and tail, the extremity of which is edged
with black, is of a lively red. The belly is of a somewhat lighter red,
the breast reddish-black, the wings brown.
This cotinga is a solitary bird, and utters only a monotonous whistle,
which sounds like _quet_. Another has a purple breast with black wings,
and tail and every other part of a light and glossy blue.
The pompadour cotinga has a purple body and white wings, their four
first feathers tipped with brown.
None of these have any song. The last, however, utters sounds something
like _wallababa_. They feed on the fig, wild guaco, and other
fruit-trees.