. The popular natural history . Zoology. 296 THE SPANGLED COQUETTE. The White-booted Racket-tail inhabits the Columbian Andes, and is very common near Santa F^ de Bogdta. It is a hill-loving bird, being generally found at an elevation of five or ten thousand feet above the level of the sea. It is thought to be confined within the third and tenth degrees of north latitude. This bird is remarkably swift of wing, its darling flight reminding the spectator of the passage of an arrow through the air. At one time it will hover close to the ground, hanging over some favourite flower and extracting th
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 296 THE SPANGLED COQUETTE. The White-booted Racket-tail inhabits the Columbian Andes, and is very common near Santa F^ de Bogdta. It is a hill-loving bird, being generally found at an elevation of five or ten thousand feet above the level of the sea. It is thought to be confined within the third and tenth degrees of north latitude. This bird is remarkably swift of wing, its darling flight reminding the spectator of the passage of an arrow through the air. At one time it will hover close to the ground, hanging over some favourite flower and extracting the sweet contents of the blossoms ; and at the next moment it will sh30t to the very summit of some lofty tree, as if impelled from a bow, and leave but the impression of an emerald-green line of light upon the observer's eye. While hovering over the flowers the long racket-shaped feathers of the tail are in constant motion, waving gently in the air, crossing each other, opening and closing in the most graceful manner. But when the bird darts off with its peculiar arrowy flight, the tail-feathers lie straight behind it. The male of this species is bronze-green upon the greater part of the body, the green takin<T a richer and rerlr'er hue I'pon the upper tail-coverts. The throat and breast are bril- liant emerald green. The wings are purple-brown, and the tail is brown, with ihe exception of the rack- ets, which are black "shot" with green. The feet are jellow, and upon the legs are placed two beautiful white puffs. The whole length of the bird is rather more than three inches. The female bird does not possess the racket-shaped tail-feathers, and is of a bronze - green upon the upper surface. The tail is brown, with the exception of the two middle feathers, which are bronze-green like the body. The two exterior feathers are tipped with white, and the others with bronie-green. The under surface is white, diversified with bronze-green spots on the breast and flanks. Th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
