Amid this rich and varied vegetation, swarms of tiny and brilliant
humming-birds flutter round the masses of highly-scented blossoms that
perfume the air, and which might be mistaken by the stranger at first
sight for some of the metallic-coloured beetles which dispute with them
the nectar of the fragrant flowers, so brilliant is the lustre shed by
both. As Gosse well remarks: "For that peculiar charm which resides in
flashing light, combined with the most brilliant colours, the lustre of
precious stones, there are no birds, no creatures, that can compare with
the humming-birds, confined exclusively to America." These lovely
little winged gems were to the Mexican and Peruvian Indians the very
quintessence of beauty; and were called by various names, signifying
"the rays of the sun," and the like. Fully four hundred distinct
species of these winged gems are supposed to exist on the continent.