127 



RUFOUS-BELLIED HUMMING-BIRD. 



Trochilus rufiyaster. VIEILLOT. 



PLATE IV. MALE. 



Colibri a ventre roussatre, Temminck, Planches Coloriees, pi. 

 cxx. fig. 2, female Le Colibri a ventre roux, Lesson Histoire 

 Naturelle des Colibris, pi. ix. male. 



ACCORDING to the work of M. Lesson, perhaps at 

 present the best authority for the distinction of species 

 in this beautiful tribe, this bird is not identical with 

 the Trochilus Brasiliensis of Dr Latham ; and it has 

 also been confused with some states of the " Brin 

 blane," T. superciliosus, and with the T. squalidus 

 of Temminck and Natterer, though we should have 

 thought the difference of size presented by the former, 

 sufficient to distinguish it. We give the description 

 of Lesson, which accompanies the copy used for our 

 plate. The entire length is scarcely three inches, of 

 which the bill will make about eleven lines; that 

 member is lengthened, slender and bending, yellow at 

 the base, and blackish towards the tip ; the head, 

 upper part of the neck, and back, are of a bronzed 

 green, which passes into a rich cinnamon colour upon 

 the rump ; the wings small and narrow, of a brownish 



