190 LECTURE V. 



and breast of the most vivid changeable polished- 

 gold or topaz-colour, varying according to the 

 light, into deep green. It is a native of Surinam. 

 I should observe, that this very numerous genus is 

 divided into two assortments, according to the 

 shape of the bill, M^hich is either strait or curoed. 

 The species just mentioned is one of the curve- 

 billed kinds, but the two preceding ones belong 

 to the strait-billed division. The Humming-birds 

 have rarely been so coloured in the figures given 

 in the works of naturalists, as to convey any very 

 exact idea of their brilliant hues. An ingenious 

 attempt has been lately made by a French artist, 

 Audebert, to express by means of prepared gold 

 itself, properly rubbed on the copper-plate used 

 in the process, the metallic brilliancy of the birds; 

 but though the work be highly elegant, yet it 

 must be acknowledged that the experiment has 

 not succeeded so completely as might be v/ished. 

 The publication itself however is highly valuable, 

 since it collects in one view more species and va- 

 rieties than had ever been represented in any one 

 work before. In this work also the peculiar struc- 

 ture of the brilliant feathers of the Humming- 

 bird is well explained, and it is justly observed 



