18960 



ON THE METALLIC COLOTJKS OF BIRDS. 



283 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE X. 



Pig.l. 



'2. 

 3. 

 4. 

 5. 



Hyptsira leucoptera, p. 264. 

 Emmiltis nigrescens, p. 267. 

 Ephyra nifisirigata, p. 267. 

 Aporodes albilinealis, p. 274. 

 Crambus Imcozonelhs, p. 269. 

 Evblemma ecthsmaia, p. 262. 

 Nephopieryx metametana, 



p. 271. 

 Helioiliis pictifascia, p. 259. 

 Xanthopiera mcsozona, p. 261. 

 Apkctropus leticopis, p. 275. 

 Mdachroaiii airibasalis, 



p. 261. 

 Parasa fulvi-corptis, p. 276. 

 Pupa of Teracohis phisadia, 



pp. 245, 252. 

 Pupa of Teracolus yerbiirii, 



pp. 246, 254. 

 Pupa of Teracolus proiomedia, 



p. 266. 



Fig. 16. lolaus nursei, (J , p. 251. 



17. Pupa of Teracolus halimede, 



pp. 246, 253. 



18. Pupa of Teracolvs plcione, 



p. 245. , . 



1 9. Eublemma seminivea, p. 262. 



20. Acidaliasiis micra, p. 267. 



21 . Crinipus lencozompns, p. 277. 



22. Nepkopteryx nigristriata, 



p. 272. 



23. Archinola pyralidia, p. 259. 



24. Eremocossut prolcnca, p. 276. 

 26. Spilosoma arabicum, p. 258. 



26. Fseudaglossa fuinosa, p. 266. 



27. Nemoria pulvereisparsa, p. 268. 



28. Eromene pavonialis, p. 269. 



29. Eurycreon albifascialis, p. 276. 



30. Epicrocis erubescens, p. 272. 



31. Pseudophia ochribasatis, Tp. 264. 



3. Observations on the Metallic Colours of the Trochilidee 

 and the Nectarinnd(e. By Miss Marion I. NewbisiNj' 



B.Sc.^ 



[Received January 13, 1896.] 



(Plates XL & Xn.) 



The metallic colours of birds form a subject of great interest, 

 and one, moreover, which has not yet been fully investigated. 

 The great interest of the subject lies in the fact that metallic 

 colour in birds is often almost entirely confined to the male sex. 

 If the colours and ornaments of the male sex are, as "Wallace and 

 others have maintained, an expression of his greater " vitality and 

 grovvth-povrer," it may reasonably be asked why this vitality 

 should so frequently express itself in structural colour, which can 

 hardly be supposed to have much physiological importance. 

 Although the present paper does not profess to attack the problem 

 of the origin in the physiological processes of the individual of 

 these colours, yet it is hoped that some of the points discussed 

 may ultimately prove of service in the solution of this problem. 



The families of the Humming-birds and Sun-birds were chosen 

 for two reasons. In the first place, both families include species or 

 genera exhibiting metallic colouring of extraordinary brilliancy, 

 and also other genera and species which are devoid of all metallic 

 colouring. In the second place, the two families present marked, 

 if superficial, points of resemblance, although systematists are all 

 agreed in separating them very widely. On this account it was 

 thought that a detailed comparison of their colouring would disclose 

 facts of interest. 



" -• * Oommunioated by F. E. Bbddabd, F.B.S. 



