and others in its native country, and to the bird-mounters in Europe and elsewhere ; this species always 

 forming' a conspicuous object among the groups of birds arranged under glass shades as ornaments for 

 our drawing-rooms, for which indeed few are better adapted, as its brilliant ruby crown and topaz throat 

 are there shown to great advantage. Such are the purposes to which the skins of this species are 

 applied ; but what part does it perform in a state of nature ? Alas ! on this subject nothing whatever is 

 known ; for although the bird has now been described for more than a hundred years, and its native country 

 repeatedly visited by enterprising explorers, no one of them has placed on record any details as to its 

 habits or economy, with all of which it would be most interesting to be made acquainted, for it can 

 scarcely be supposed that so much beauty has been bestowed upon it without some special purpose in 



view. 



Although Brazil is stated to be one of the countries inhabited by the Ruby and Topaz, according to the 

 best and most recent authority, Mr. Reeves, it is not found so far south as Rio de Janeiro, but is very 

 common in Bahia and Pernambuco, where, however, it only remains during a part of the year ; from 

 these localities northward, in each of the Guianas, the island of Trinidad, the Caraccas, and a great part of 

 Columbia, it everywhere occurs in abundance. It is said to perch occasionally on the more slender branches 

 of the flowering trees and shrubs it frequents, and to spread its large rounded tail to the fullest extent like 

 the Peacock, and that it then appears to the greatest advantage. 



Some minute differences occur in the colouring and in the size of Columbian, when compared with 

 Brazilian specimens ; they appear, however, to be mere local variations, similar to those observable 

 among many other birds. But endless indeed are the changes which take place in the plumage of the 

 bird between youth and maturity, and so puzzling are they, that, after the most careful examination of 

 numberless examples, I am unable even now to form any very distinct ideas on the subject. These changes 

 it is Avhich have occasioned the confusion existing with respect to this species in the works of the older 

 authors, and which has led them to regard each state as characteristic of a specific difference, the result 

 being, a list of synonyms pertaining to this bird, unsurpassed perhaps in number by those of any other 

 species. 



The nest is a round cup-shaped structure, composed of cottony materials, and decorated externally with 

 leaves and small patches of lichens. 



Descriptions of the more important of the various states of plumage above alluded to are here given ; 

 but it is impossible to say to which sex they belong, as that can only be determined by dissection. 



At a very young age the upper surface is bronzy brown, with a crescent of rufous at the tip of each 

 feather; the tail bronzy brown, faintly barred with rufous and tipped with white; tinder surface brownish 

 grey. 



In another stage the head and back are bronzy greenish brown ; the rump-feathers are broadly tipped 

 with rufous ; the tail is bronzy purple, the outer feathers being tipped with white ; under surface grey, with 

 a stripe of metallic topaz-coloured feathers down the centre of the throat. 



In a third state we find the head and all the upper surface coppery bronze ; rump bronzy green ; central 

 tail-feathers bronzy green, deepening into black towards the extremity; the lateral tail-feathers grey at the 

 base, then black, and tipped with white ; under surface grey, and in some specimens a few of the topaz- 

 coloured metallic feathers down the centre of the throat. 



In a fourth state the head is dull brown ; back bronzy brown ; rump green ; central tail-feathers bronzy 

 green, deepening into black at the extremity; the lateral feathers chestnut-red at the base, then purplish, 

 and tipped with white; under surface grey, with a large patch of the topaz-coloured metallic feathers on 

 the centre of the throat. 



In the fully adult state, the male has the forehead, crown, occiput and nape metallic ruby-red ; chin, throat 

 and breast resplendent topaz-yellow; all the upper surface and wing-coverts dark velvety bronzy brown; 

 wings purplish brown ; tail rich dark chestnut-red, slightly tipped with black ; abdomen dark olive-brown ; 

 under tail-coverts rufous ; bill and feet blackish brown. 



The Plate represents the two sexes of the size of life. For the plant, the name of which is unknown to 



me, I am indebted to the drawings of T. Reeves, Esq. 



DSJ 



