Humming Bird, a genus of birds belonging to the order of pica. The rostrum is subulate, filiform, and longer than the head, the apex being tubular; the upper mandible sleaths the lower. The tongue is filiform and tubulous, the two threads coalescing; the feet are slender and fit for walking; the tail has ten feathers. There are 65 species, none of which are natives of Britain. They are all remarkable for the beauty of their colours, and most of them for the smallness of their size, though some are eight or nine inches in length.—They are divided into two families, viz. those with crooked bills, and those with straight bills. Of these we shall describe the four following species:

1. The exilis, or little humming-bird, has a crooked bill, is an inch and a half in length; frequently weighing less than 50 grains. The bill is black, and half an inch in length; the body greenish-brown, with a red, shining, irritable gloss; the head is crested with a small tuft, green at bottom, but of a sparkling gold colour at top: quills and tail fine black. It is a native of Guiana; and the velocity of it in flying is so great, that the eye can scarce keep pace with its motion.

2. The myochirus, or ruby-necked humming-bird, according to Marcgrave is the most beautiful of the whole genus. Its length is three inches four lines; the bill straight, eight lines long, and blackish: the top of the head and hind part of the neck are as bright as a ruby, and of the same colour; the upper parts of the body are brown, with a faint mixture of green and gold: the throat and fore part of the neck are the colour of the most brilliant topaz: the belly, sides, and thighs are brown; but on the lower part of the belly, on each side, is a spot or white: the tail is rufous purple, inclining to violet at the ends; the two middle feathers are shortest: the legs and claws blackish. The female has only a dash of golden-topaz on the breast and fore part of the neck; the rest of the under parts are greyish white. This species is found in Brazil, Curatboa, Guiana, and Surinam.

3. The minimus, or least humming-bird, is exceeded, both in weight and dimensions, by several species of bees. The total length is one inch and a quarter; and when killed, weighs