. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. THE HUMMING BIRDS. 305 puff's are usually white, but sometimes brown, or more rarely black, and are most conspicuously developed in the genera Panoplites, Erioc- nemis, and Fig. 30.—Leg-puffs of Panoplites Fig. 31.—Short tarsal feathers of Heliodoxa Jlavescens. jacula. COLORS OF THE PLUMAGE. When morning dawns, * * * * The flower-feel Humming Bird his round pursues ; Sips with inserted tube the honied blooms, And chirps his grat
. Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution; Smithsonian Institution. Archives; Discoveries in science. THE HUMMING BIRDS. 305 puff's are usually white, but sometimes brown, or more rarely black, and are most conspicuously developed in the genera Panoplites, Erioc- nemis, and Fig. 30.—Leg-puffs of Panoplites Fig. 31.—Short tarsal feathers of Heliodoxa Jlavescens. jacula. COLORS OF THE PLUMAGE. When morning dawns, * * * * The flower-feel Humming Bird his round pursues ; Sips with inserted tube the honied blooms, And chirps his gratitude as round he roams ; While richest roses, though in crimson drest, Shrink from the splendor of his gorgeous breast. What heavenly tints in mingling radiance fly ! Each rapid movement gives a different dye ; Like scales of burnished gold they dazzling show— Now sink to shade, now like a furnace glow ! —ALEXANDER WILSON. While their diminutive size is one of the most striking peculiarities of Humming Birds, their beautifully varied or resplendently metallic plumage is, as a rule, not less so. Reference has been made on previous pages to the luminous gorget of many species, and to the shining crests or beards of others; but we failed to mention that some kinds, instead of having luminous throats, have the halo of radiance transferred to their crowns, as in species of Uranomitra, in which the color is blue or violet, and Mistephamis, in which it is brilliant red or green, according to the species. Frequently there is a spot of the most brilliant emerald-green on the forehead, im- mediately above the base of the bill, forming " a siar brighter than Venus, the queen of planets" (Gould). It is worthy of remark that this glittering gem-like spot has always a setting of the most intense velvety black, to increase, by contrast, its brilliancy. Usually, but not always, these same Humming Birds have a similar spot on the mid- dle of the throat, its color, however, mo
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