180 
THE RUBY AND TOPAZ HUMMING-BIRD. 
follow the movement, loses sight of it until it again returns to the flower which at first 
attracted its attention.” 
Magnificent as are these gorgeous birds when mounted as specimens, they lose much of 
their beauty in the needful handling, and give but a faint image of their real effulgent beauty. 
Many specimens are injured by being left too long before the skins are removed from the 
bodies, and in the lands where the Sappho lives, putrefaction takes place with such rapidity, 
that a delay of a few hours is fatal to the perfection of the skin. It has been found that these 
delicate creatures were much injured by the shot or other missiles employed in their capture, 
so a very ingenious trap was made for their especial benefit. It was noticed that the birds 
were accustomed to dash into the long pendent blossoms of certain flowers, so the ingenious 
collector put a little bird-lime into the bottom of every blossom, and thus secured many an 
unwary Humming-bird as it came to feed. 
In the male bird the head, neck, the upper part of the back, the face, the sides of the 
neck, and great part of the under surface, are light green, bronzed on the sides of the neck 
and face. The lower part of the back is a deep crimson-red. The wings are purple-brown, 
and the throat metallic -green. The tail is ruddy brown at its base, and the remainder of its 
length is a fiery red, tipped with a velvety-black band. The female is smaller than the male, 
but is not possessed of his length of tail nor brilliancy of hue, her throat being white spotted 
with green, and the only piece of crimson being a patch on her back. 
There is another species belonging to the same genus, which has been called the Phaon 
Comet ( Cometes phaon), in allusion to the classical name of the preceding species. This is 
equally magnificent with the former, and is altogether a larger bird. It may be known 
from the Sappho by the color of the tail, which is wholly of a crimson-red. It inhabits Peru 
and Bolivia. 
Oh the engraving will be seen a much smaller bird, the Yarrell’s Woodstar. 
This pretty creature is very rare, and inhabits the eastern parts of Peru and Bolivia. Mr. 
Gould thinks it is limited to the localities between the mountainous ranges and the sea. In 
the male, the crown of the head, the whole upper surface of the body, and the four central 
tail-feathers, are of a light yellow-green, and the chest, the middle of the abdomen, and the 
under tail-coverts are grayish- white. Upon the throat there is a gorget of purple-blue, 
“shot” with lilac in some lights, and of a brighter blue in the centre. The wings are grayish- 
brown, and the lateral feathers of the tail are dark brown. The total length of the bird is 
about two and a half inches. 
Among other species belonging to the same genus may be mentioned the Short-tailed 
Woodstar ( Calothdrax micrurus). This odd little bird is remarkable for the extreme short- 
ness of its tail-feathers, which when closed are, with the exception of the two central feathers, 
hidden under the upper tail-coverts. It is generally seen in the mimosas, and hums very 
loudly when flying. 
The Ruby and Topaz Humming-bird derives its name from the coloring of its head and 
throat, the former being of a deep ruby tint, and the latter of a resplendent topaz. Sometimes 
it is called the Ruby-headed Humming-bird, and it is also known under the name of the 
Aurora. It is very common in Bahia, the Guianas, Trinidad, and the Caraccas, and as it is in 
great request for the dealers, is killed by thousands annually. There is no species so common 
in ornamental cases of Humming-birds as the Ruby and Topaz. It makes a very beautiful 
nest, round, cup-like, and delicately woven of cotton and various fibres, and covered externally 
with little leaves and bits of lichen. 
The plumage of this species is extremely variable, but may be described briefly as follows. 
The forehead, the crown, and the nape of the neck are metallic ruby-red, and the chin, throat, 
and chest are effulgent topaz. The upper parts of the body are velvety bronze-brown, and the 
’wdngs are purple-brown. The tail is rich chestnut-red, tipped with black, and the abdomen 
