dy was light green, bronzed on the side of the neck and
face, and the lower part of the back was of a deep crimson red. The
wings were purple-brown, and the throat metallic green; but the tail was
its most remarkable feature. That was very long, brown at the base, and
the greater part of its length of the brightest fiery red, tipped with a
velvety black band.

"Why, its tail is a perfect comet," exclaimed Ellen, who had been for
some time admiring it.

She had given it the name by which it is chiefly known--the Sappho
comet, or bar-tailed humming-bird. It is a migratory bird, seldom,
however, found so far north. It is a native of Bolivia, where it is
found in gardens, and near the abodes of men, of whom it seems to have
no fear. In the winter it flies off to the warm regions of eastern
Peru, so Isoro told us.

"I am afraid that it will not live in captivity," he remarked. "Shall I
kill it for you, senora?"

"Oh no! no!" exclaimed Ellen. "On no account. If I cannot make a pet
of it, I would not keep it even as an unwilling captive. Pray, let it
go at once."

Isoro let the bird perch on his finger. It looked about for an instant,
and then expanding its glossy wings, off it flew, its long tail gleaming
like a flash of lightning in the air, and was in an instant lost to
sight. Isoro had, I believe, caught the little creature by the bill,
with a sort of bird-lime, placed in the lower part of a flower, where it
was held captive long enough to enable him to seize it.

We did not fail to keep up a large fire in the centre of our camp during
the night, lest any prowling puma might venture to pay us a visit. The
warmth, also, which it afforded in that keen mountain air was grateful.

After Ellen and Maria had retired to their hut, which had been made as
comfortable for them as circumstances would allow, we sat up discussing
our plans. I found that Don Jose and John had become anxious at not
finding our father. Our friend had sent out several Indians in
different directions to search for him, with orders to come back to the
spot where we were now encamped. I was surprised to find the influence
he possessed among all the natives we had met.

As soon as we had encamped, Isoro and two other Indians set off to
forage in the neighbourhood, as well as to obtain information. They
came back late in the evening, driving before them three hogs, which
they had purchased at a native hut some distance off. A pen was s