156 GENERA AND SPECIES. 



In our note, taken from Mr. Gould's speci- 

 mens, we put down the following data. Most 

 gorgeous ! the female is also beautiful, though 

 far inferior to the male. The nest is composed 

 of a brown, close, sponge-like felt, and placed on 

 a forked twig. The head and chest are velvet 

 black; the gorget is scale-like, golden in the 

 centre, passing at the sides into dazzling green ; 

 chest and abdomen, back and shoulders intense 

 fiery bronze ; under tail-coverts green ; wings 

 broad and ample ; thighs white. 



From this note, we proceed to a fuller descrip- 

 tion. Abdomen, sides, back and shoulders, 

 luminous fiery red ; head, ear-coverts, back of 

 the neck, and a band crossing the lower part of 

 the neck, deep velvety black ; throat luminous 

 pale green, passing into rich orange (effulgent 

 gold) in the centre ; two central tail feathers, 

 purplish green, the remainder deep purple, the 

 feathers on each side the central ones much 

 elongated, and crossing each other near the base ; 

 upper tail-coverts luminous light green, with 

 red reflexions ; under tail-coverts luminous 

 green ; primaries purplish brown ; bill black ; 

 feet blackish brown. 



Length from the tip of the bill to the end of 

 the central tail feathers, 6 inches ; to the end of 

 the elongated feathers, 8| ; bill, 1| ; tail, 2f ; 

 elongated feathers, 4|. 



" I consider (says Mr. Gould) this to be 

 without exception the most gorgeous species of 



