TRYPH^NA DUPONTI. 



Sparkling--taiL 



Ornismya Dupontii, Less. Coll., p. 100, Suppl. pi 1.— Jard. Nat. Lib. Humming-birds, 

 vol. i. p. 131. pi. 26. 



Zemes, lb. Rev. Zool. 1838, p. 315. 



ccelestis^ lb. 



Mellisuga Bupontii, Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, Mellisuga, sp. 71. 



If this species be not one of the most gaily coloured, it is certainly one of the most beautiful of the smaller 

 members of the Trochilidw ; and is no less interesting from the elegance and just proportions of its form, 

 than for the singularly varied style of its plumage ; similar markings of the tail exist in the Amethystine 

 Humming-bird {TnjphcEna Amethystind), but while in that species they are very slightly indicated, they are 

 carried to the maximum in the present bird. 



The native habitat of the Tryphcena Duponti is Guatemala in Mexico ; Mr. Skinner, of Chipperfield House, 

 informs me that it is very abundant in the environs of that city, and that it frequents the gardens and even 

 the liouses of the inhabitants, wherever there are flowers to attract its presence. M. Lesson states that its 

 trivial French name oiZemes has been given to it from idols so called, formerly worshiped by the Mexicans 

 and Haytians. 



As wdll be seen on reference to the Plate, a most remarkable difference exists, both in the form of the tail 

 and in the colouring of the two sexes ; so much so, indeed, that had we not undoubted evidence of their 

 being but one, they would certainly be considered to constitute two species. 



The nest figured iis a small neatly-formed round structure, attached to the side of a small branch of a 

 rose-tree, immediately above the insertion of a leaf-stalk, which serves for a support, and is composed of 

 vegetable fibres and a material resembling thistle-down, thickly matted over with small pieces of lichens, 

 apparently attached by means of spider's w^eb ; the eggs are two in number, and of a fleshy white. 



The male has the upper surface bronzy green, with the exception of two crescentic marks of white, one 

 on either side of the rump ; wings dark purplish brown ; throat rich deep blue, with the base of the 

 feathers black ; across the breast a broad crescent of pure white, the points of which extend on to the sides 

 of the neck; under surface and under tail-coverts green, with a bronzy hue; across the vent a band of 

 white; the tail is rendered remarkably sparkling by the decided contrasts of its colours, green, dark brown, 

 deep rusty red and pure white, the arrangement of which may be thus described : — two centre feathers very 

 short and of a shining green, the next on each side green with bronzy reflexions ; the next on each side is 

 dark brown, with two triangular spots of white on their inner webs, one near the middle, the other at the 

 tip; basal half of the two lateral feathers on each side dark brown, to which succeeds, first a band of deep 

 rusty red, then a broader one of white, next a broad band of dark brown, and finally the tip is white; bill 

 and feet dark brown. 



Total length, 4 inches; bill,|; wing, 1^; tail, 2. 



The female has all the upper surface rich bronzy green, separated from the green of the upper tail-coverts 

 by two large marks of buff* on either side of the rump; tail purplish black, glossed with bronzy green at the 

 base, all but the two centre feathers w^ith a spot of white encircled with buff'at the tip; all the under surface 

 light rusty red, becoming darker on the flanks and under tail-coverts ; vent white. 



Total length, 2|- inches ; bill, f ; wing. If ; tail, i. 



The figures represent three males, a female, a nest and eggs, all of the natural size. 



