35 



itfJBY-CBESTED. 



PLATE IV:— FIG. 1. 



TrocMlus rnoschitus. We do not understand what can be the 

 origin of this specific name. Ifosehatus is the Latin for a nut- 

 meg, and moschus for musk; but what can either of these have 

 to do with this beautiful bird is not at all clear. It may, 

 perhaps, manifest a partiality for the nutmeg trees which grow 

 in the West India Islands, in most of which the bird is com- 

 mon, as well as in many parts of the continent of South 

 America. It is about three inches and a half long, and is 

 remarkable for the brilliancy of its colours. The crest, from 

 which it takes its name, is short and rounded, being merely a 

 slight elongation of the feathers on the hind part of the head. 

 Yiewed in one position it appears of a dull reddish brown, in 

 another a bright coppery lustre plays over it; and if looked 

 down upon, it becomes a rich ruby red; so it is with the scaly 

 part of the throat and breast, which in some lights assumes a 

 sombre greenish brown colour, which changes with every shift 

 of position from a clear golden green to a bright yellow, with 

 a gleam like that emitted by the precious stone called a topaz; 

 the rest of the plumage is a rich brown, with here and there 

 red and purple shadings, and glosses of green; the tail is broad 

 and fan-like, and has a narrow band of a dark shade along 

 the tips of the feathers; sometimes the back around the ruby 

 crest is so dark as to look like a black band. The female is 

 scarcely so large as the male, and has a dress of golden green 

 above, and greyish brown beneath; the tail is very different, 

 each feather being tipped with white, and bronzed over in 

 places with green. 



This species builds a remarkably warm and compact nest, 

 generally of cottony substance, patched on the outside with 

 lichen. 



