TUFTED - NECKED . 



33 



so enclosing the bright restless eyes, is continued down each, 

 side till it meets another strip of the same colour as the tuft, 

 which encircles the breast like a ribbon, and separates between 

 the green gorget and the plumage of the other part of the 

 breast and belly, which is first of a pale yellowish tint, and 

 then a bronzed green, with slate-blue reflections; this colour 

 extends over the greater part of the wings and the back, but 

 it is separated from the tail, which is broad and ample, of a 

 chesnut, intermingled with green and blue, by a plainly-marked 

 band of greyish white. 



But the most curious parts of this gay costume are the tufts, 

 about an inch long, which adorn the sides of the neck, looking 

 as if they were fastened on to the narrow bands which enclose 

 the throat and upper part of the breast; they are composed 

 of from ten to twenty plumes of different lengths, and of the 

 same colour as the crest; but then to give variety and rich- 

 ness to the effect, each of them has a broadened tip of clear 

 shining green, as though some of the emeralds of which the 

 gorget was composed, had been reserved and fastened there. 



A celebrated writer of the present day tells us of a beau 

 who went to see the play, and having a great quantity of 

 false jewelry, wore it all because it cost him no more to do 

 so than to leave it at home. Our feathered beau seems to 

 have followed his example, only he had this advantage — all 

 that he wears is real and natural; and bright and varied as 

 are the colours, rich and dazzling the gleam and glitter, yet 

 what is there which seems offensive to good taste? though 

 fully dressed, he is not over-dressed; though highly ornamented, 

 not more so than one thinks he should be. And his little 

 wife! what of her? is she as gaily attired? Not quite; she 

 wants the crest and the tufts, but the rest of her plumage is 

 almost as resplendent, and then she has a bright red stomacher 

 on, and is altogether a very gay body you may be sure, or 

 she would not suit such a smart gentlemen as Mr. Ornatus. 

 These tufted birds, of which there are several species, (one we 

 have before described, see Plate II.) are called by the French 

 coquettes. The naturalist Lesson has formed them into a separate 

 genus called Lojohornis. Cayenne, Gruiana, and Brazil are the 

 countries where this species is most abundant; it is found 

 chiefly on dry plains, where the vegetation is scanty and bushy. 



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