110 



SAPPHIRE AND EMERALD HUMMING-BIRD. 



Trochilus bicolor. GMELIN. 



Trochilus bicolor, Gmelin^dition of Linnaus Sapphire 

 and Emerald Hummingbird, Latham, General History, 

 iv. p. 329 Le Sapphire emeraude, Lesson, Histoire Na- 

 turelle des Oiseaux-mouches, p. 161, Pis. xlix and 1. 



THIS species is distinguished at once from that 

 figured on the last plate, by the rich green of the 

 whole body, except the throat, breast and tail. In the 

 above mentioned bird these parts are tinged with a 

 much greater shade of blue, and seem in some lights 

 to be almost of that colour ; the crown is of a very 

 deep tint, and appears much darker than the rest 

 of the body ; the throat and breast gradually shading 

 into the belly, are very rich blue, with metallic lustre ; 

 the tail is deep steel-blue above and below, and ap- 

 pears scarcely so much forked as in the preceding 

 bird; the bill has the upper mandible black, the 

 lower yellowish white, except at the tip, which is 

 brown. The female resembles the male, except on 

 the under parts ; the beautiful blue of the throat 

 and breast is nearly pure white, and, as it reaches the 

 belly and vent, becomes mixed with green. The 

 young birds differ by the blue throat being very dull, 

 by the vent and flanks being of a greenish black, and 

 by the whole plumage wanting in brilliancy. 



It is a native of French Guiana, and Latham men- 

 tions it from the island of Guadaloupe. 



