This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872. Excerpt: ... BLUE-THROATED. PLATE Y.--FIG. 1. Trochilus 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 morningstar which is so called; and this tiny fork-tailed Oyanthus comes like a flash of light from out the shades of the Mexican forests, when the day breaks in all its glory and splendour npon the southwestern continent. It is a bird of a long 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, according to the position in which it is viewed; these feathers projecting 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 on...
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