. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. THE CHIMBORAZIAN HILL-STAR. 183 and that, iu all proljabiHty, it subserves some very important purpose. Some persons have suggested, vdth some show of reason, that the beak is recurved in order to enable the bird to feed upon the nectar and insects virhich reside iu the deepest recesses of certain tubular flowers. It is a pretty bird, but is not gifted witli the gorgeous and dazzling hues which are so lavishly shed upon the plumage of many llumniing-birds. The head and the whole of the u
. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. THE CHIMBORAZIAN HILL-STAR. 183 and that, iu all proljabiHty, it subserves some very important purpose. Some persons have suggested, vdth some show of reason, that the beak is recurved in order to enable the bird to feed upon the nectar and insects virhich reside iu the deepest recesses of certain tubular flowers. It is a pretty bird, but is not gifted witli the gorgeous and dazzling hues which are so lavishly shed upon the plumage of many llumniing-birds. The head and the whole of the upper parts of the body are shining golden-green, and the throat is liright emerald. The under parts are also golden-green, with the exception of a black streak that runs from the. SCTS-GEtH.—Hdiactinus coruutm. breast through the centre of the abdomen, feathers of the tail are topaz. The wings are purjjle-brown, and the lateral Our ideas of Humming-birds are naturally associated with the tropical climate and burn- ing sun of the regions which they inhabit, and few persons would tliink of looking for any species of Humming-bird in a locality where the temperature seldom rises above tliat of an ordinary winter in York State. Yet the Chimboraziak Hill-star is never found except upon the elevated poi'tions of the lofty mountains from which it derives its name, and inhabits exclusively the very edges of the line of perpetual snow. This bird is never seen on any spot that is less than twelve thousand feet above the level of the sea, and is most commonly seen at a much greater elevation, specimens having been obtained on spots that are at least sixteen thousand feet above the ocean. Beyond this height the creature cannot live, as the line of perpetual snow commences at that point, and places an effectual barrier against the growth of the plants on which the bird finds its sub sistence. The two sexes are seldom seen near each other, the males prefening to haunt the. Please note that
Size: 1566px × 1596px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorbr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
