AURL’LENT HUMMING-BIRD. 
131 
the petieral distribution of colour, lias tlie tail consi- 
derably forked ; it is the 
AURULENT IIU JIMING-BIRD. 
Trochilus aurulentus- — Latham. 
Aurulent Humming-Bird, Trochilus aurulentus, Latham, 
General History, iv. p. 307.— Le Hausse col dord. Lesson, 
Histoire Naturelle des CoUbris, pis. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. 
Lesson has devoted no less than four plates to 
this splendid species, which we have said difl'ers 
from the others placed in this group, by the forked 
tail. This form of the tail, how'ever, is peculiar 
to the males, that of the young and females being 
in accordance with the characters of the others. 
It is a curious fact, that, in a great many species, 
the tail, which assumes such a variety of form, de- 
viates in the males only in those species which, 
though in other respects they would be named 
“ aberrant,” could not he with propriety separated. 
The upper parts of this bird are of a golden-green, 
which extends to the flanks and lower tail-coverts. 
'I'he gorget or throat-patch is of a brilliant golden- 
yellow, reflected with green. It occupies the whole 
fore part of the neck, and upper part of the breast. 
The breast aud belly, in a line with the insertion of 
the thighs, is deep bluish-black, following which, and 
between the tail-coverts, there is a band of white. 
The tail has the centre feathers green on the upper 
