smallest of its tribe--the nest
being also of a proportionate size, formed of various delicate fibres,
such as spider's webs and cottony down, and covered with lichens.
Within it the female lays two eggs, scarcely larger than peas, of a
delicate, almost transparent, pearly white. This nest is secured to a
slight twig by spider's webs.

The general colour of the male is bronzed green above, with a
crescent-shaped white mark on the lower part of the back. It has a rich
metallic blue throat, changing in certain lights; and the wings are of a
dark purple-brown. The tail is composed of feathers of different
tints--the two central of a rich, shining green; the next, green, marked
with bronze; and the outer, dark brown, with triangular white spots on
the inner web.

The whole length of the bird, with its forked tail, is about four
inches. The hen has a shorter tail, the feathers purple-black, bronzed
at the base, and most of them tipped with white and ringed with buff.
The upper part of the body is of a rich bronzed green; and the lower, a
rusty-red.

Many other beautiful humming-birds appear throughout different parts of
Mexico and Central America; but we may grow weary even when examining
caskets of the most brilliant gems; and we shall have many others to
describe when we reach the southern part of the continent.

LOCUSTS.

Insect life is as active in Central America as in other parts of the
tropics. The most dreaded insect is the locust, which makes periodical
attacks on the plantations, and in a single hour the largest fields of
maize are stripped of their leaves, the stems alone being left to show
that they once existed. This creature is called by the natives the
"chapulin," or langosta. They make their first appearance as little
wingless things, swarming over the ground like ants, when they are
called "santones." In order to destroy them, the natives dig long
trenches, into which they are driven, when, unable to leap out, they are
easily buried and destroyed. Still, vast numbers escape, when they
appear in enormous columns, darkening the air, and as they sweep
onwards, destroy every green thing in their course. They cover the
ground on every side, then rising in clouds, fill the atmosphere with
their multitudes, causing the trees to appear brown, as if seared by
fire. Frequently, as their hosts sweep onwards, they are seen falling
like flakes in a snow-storm from a dark cloud. Every device that the
f