279 



FORK-TAILED HUMMING-BIRD. 



Trochilus forficatus. T. viridi-aureus, vertice cceruleo, caudafor- 



ficata aureo-cceruka, rectridbus duabus extcrioribus tongissimis. 

 Gold-green Humining-Bird, with blue crown and gold-blue 



forked tail, with the two outer feathers very long. 

 Trochilus forficatus. T. curcirostris viridis, rectridbus lateralibits 



longissimis, pileo rcctricibusque cccruleis. Lin. Syst. Nat. Lath. 



ind. orn. 



Long-tailed green Humming-Bird. Edw. pi. 33. 

 L'Oiseau-mouche a longue queue, &c. Buff. ois. 

 L'Oiseau-mouche a tete bleu. Viell. pi. 60. 

 Fork-tailed Humming-Bird. Lath. syn. 



THIS elegant species, which appears to be ex- 

 tremely rare, seems to have been first described by 

 Edwards from a specimen received from Jamaica* 

 " The bill, says Edwards, is slender, strait *, pretty 

 long, and of a black colour: the crown of the 

 head is blue, or else the bird is mostly green : the 

 quills are of a dirty purplish colour, except three 

 green ones next the body: the coverts of the 

 wings are green : the lower belly and coverts under 

 the tail are white : the thighs dusky : the tail- 

 feathers are of the most shining beauty that can 

 be imagined, appearing sometimes of a shining 

 blue colour, and upon a little turn will change 

 greenish ; then again into a colour mixed with a 

 bright golden splendor : these feathers, forming a 



* It is in reality but slightly curved, yet sufficiently so, even 

 according to Edwards's own figure, to justify its being placed in 

 the present section. 



