PASSERINE. TENUIROSTRES. 289 



all the glowing fire of the ruby, and surpassed in 

 lustre the diadem of monarchs." * 



The cause of these brilliant gem-like reflections 

 of colour, changing in different lights to the most 

 opposite hues, is not well understood ; they seem, 

 however, to depend upon a peculiar structure in the 

 close, scale-like feathers with which these birds are 

 clothed, and are usually seen in the highest perfection 

 on the throat and crest. Much of their living radi- 

 ance is lost to us, who see them only fastened to 

 a wire in a glass case. In some species the tail is 

 greatly developed and forked, as in T. Cora^ T. 

 Cornutus, and especially T. Sparganurus^ while in 

 others, as T. Ornatus, T. Audenetii, and T. Magni- 

 ficus, the neck is adorned with narrow, slender 

 feathers, which project or radiate horizontally. The 

 species with which we are acquainted usually lay 

 two eggs, deposited in a nest composed, of course, 

 of various materials, and differing in form, but usu- 

 ally very warmly lined with down of plants. The 

 Ruby-throat, (T. Colubris,) sits ten days ; others 

 more, perhaps some less. 



"We shall close our notice of this beautiful tribe 

 with the following lines, from the enthusiastic Wil- 

 son : 



" When morning dawns, and the blest sun again 

 Lifts his red glories from the eastern main, 



Six Months in Mexico, p. 270. 

 A-ora, a fair damsel. 



v<jv, sparganon, a bandage, and ot^a, oura, the tail. 

 VOL. I. O 



