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HUMMING-BIRDSare found in the temperate (northern and southern) parts ofthe continent are migrants, which retire in the winter to thewarmer lands near or within the tropics. In the extremenorth of America two species are regular summer visitants, oneon the east and the other on the west of the Rocky Mountains.On the east the common North American or Euby-throatedhumming-bird extends through the United States and Canada,and as far as 57 north latitude, or considerably north ofLake Winnipeg ;while the milder climate of the west coastallows the Rufous Flame-bearer to extend its range beyondSitka to the parallel of 61. Here they spend the wholesummer, and breed, being found on the Columbia River in thelatter end of April, retiring to Mexico in the winter. Supposingthat those which go farthest north do not returnfarther south than the borders of the tropics, these littlebirds must make a journey of full three thousand miles eachspring and autumn. The antarctic humming-bird visits theinhospitable shores of Tierra-del-Fuego, where it has beenseen visiting the flowers of fuchsias in a snowstorm, whileit spends the winter in the warmer parts of Chili andBolivia.In the south of California and in the Central UnitedStates three or four other species are found in summer ;butit is only when we enter the tropics that the number ofdifferent kinds becomes considerable. In Mexico there aremore than thirty species, while in the southern parts ofCentral America there are more than double that number.As we go on towards the equator they become still morenumerous, till they reach their maximum in the equatorialAndes. They especially abound in the mountainous regions ;while the luxuriant forest plains of the Amazons, in which somany other forms of life reach their maximum, are very poorin humming-birds. Brazil, being more hilly and with morevariety of vegetation, is richer, but does not equal the Andeanvalleys, plateaux, and volcanic peaks. Each separate districtof the Andes has its peculiar species and often its peculiargenera, and many of the great volcanic mountains possesskinds which are confined to them. Thus, on the greatmountain of Pichincha there is a peculiar species found at anelevation of about fourteen thousand feet only while an;

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