292 HUMMING-BIRD. 



and neck behind black, and passing- forwards to the breast, forms 

 there a black crescent; chin, and fore part of the neck above the 

 crescent, the colour of Topaz, or polished gold ; appearing greenish 

 in different lights. In some the breast is rose-colour, in others the 

 same as the back, but paler, and continues to the vent ; back, and 

 wing coverts rufous, or orange red ; thighs white ; quills dull purple ; 

 rump, and upper tail coverts green gold ; tail one inch and three 

 quarters long, and rufous red, but the two middle feathers are green 

 gold, nearly a quarter of an inch broad at the beginning, but taper 

 off to a blunt point, and not longer than the rest ; the two next very 

 narrow, entirely hid by the former, as far as they reach, but extend 

 beyond the rest at least two inches and a quarter, each curving 

 inwards, and these are dusky purple ; the remaining six pale rufous, 

 rather paler at the ends; legs white. 



The female is deep green, paler beneath, bronzed with gold and 

 copper ; chin reddish, but not gilt as in the other sex, and the tail 

 feathers are all equal in length ; thighs white. 



Two Varieties are mentioned ; in the first are several white 

 feathers, interspersed here and there beneath the body, and seen in 

 both sexes. 



The other with a bright green throat, but no topaz-like gilded 

 reflection ; breast and belly fine gilded red ; under tail coverts gold 

 green ; plumage in general very brilliant. 



Inhabits Surinam, and other parts of South America. Sonnini 

 observes, that it frequents the borders of rivers, as the Swallow, 

 perching on the dry branches, and always crosses the wings when 

 sitting.* 



Ois. dor. i. p. 128. 



