44 



BLUE-THROATED. 



PLATE V.-FIG. 1. 



Troohilus lucifer. This is a very curious little bird, and the 

 naturalists, we may see, have given it as curious a title, that 

 is, some of them have, for in this, as in most other species 

 of birds, and indeed, of everything- else, there is a diversity 

 of nomenclature, that is, of naming; the word coming from the 

 Latin nomen — a name. Lesson calls this pretty Blue- throat 

 Trochilus cyanopogon; this term is of Greek origin, and means 

 the same as cyanean — having an azure colour; so that it is 

 appropriate enough. But what shall we say of lucifer, which 

 is a name of the Evil one? Can that be appropriately applied 

 to a beautiful bird? Yes, for it is also the name of a star, 

 and the Blue-throated Hummer is star-like in brilliancy; 

 properly, Lucifer signifies the light-bringer, and it is the 

 morning-star which is so called; and this tiny forked-tailed 

 Cyanthus comes like a flash of light from out the shades of the 

 Mexican forests, when the day breaks in all its glory and 

 splendour upon the south-western continent. 



It is a bird of a slender form with a very long bill; bright 

 yellowish green is the colour of the head and upper parts of the 

 body; the under parts are white tinged with green; the throat 

 and fore part of the neck are covered with lengthened plumes 

 of a rich violet-colour, which changes into red or blue, accord- 

 ing to the position in which it is viewed; these feathers pro- 

 jecting considerably from what appears a beautiful ruff, or frill, 

 attached to the throat. 



The habits of this species are but little known; it is placed 

 by some naturalists in the genus Calothorax, to which belong the 

 beautiful Wood -stars, with their resplendent throats and queer 

 little tails, which look as if the smaller feathers had been picked 

 out, and only the larger ones left, projecting like short spikes; 

 with the hen-bird this is not the case. 



