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Show 1896.] ON THE METALLIC COLOURS OF BIRDS. 283 EXPLANATION OF PLATE X. Pi g. 1. Hypatra leucoptera, p. 264. 2. Emmiltis niyrescens, p. 267. 3. Ephyra rufistrigata, p. 267. 4. Aporodes albilinealis, p. 274. 5. Crambus leucozonellus, p. 269. 6. Evhlemma ecthcemata, p. 262. 7. Nephopteryx metamelana, p. 271. 8. Heliothis pictifascia, p. 259. 9. Xanthoptera mesozona, p. 261. 10. Aplectropus leucopis, p. 275. 11. Metachrostis atribasalis, p. 261. 12. Parasa fulvi-corpiis, p. 276. 13. Pupa of Teracolus phisadia, pp. 245, 252. 14. Pupa of Teracolus yerburii, pp. 246, 254. 15. Pupa of Teracolus protomedia, p. 256. Fig. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. Iolaus nursei, 3, P- 25l. Pupa of Teracolus halimede, pp. 246, 253. Pupa of Teracolus pleione, p. 245. Eublemma seminivea, p. 262. Acidaliastis micra, p. 267. Crinipus leucozonipus, p. 277. Nephopteryx niyristriata, p. 272. Archinola pyralidia, p. 259. Eremocossus proleuca, p. 276. Spilosoma arabicum, p. 258. Pseudaglossa fumosa, p. 266. Nemoria pulvereisparsa, p. 268. Eromene pavonialis, p. 269. Eurycreon albifascialis, p. 276. Epicrocis erubescens, p. 272. Pseudophia ochribasalis, p. 264. 3. Observations on the Metallic Colours of the Trochilida and the Nectariniidce. B y Miss M A R I O N I. N E W B I G I N, B.Sc.1 [Eeceived January 13, 1896.] (Plates XI. & XII.) The metallic colours of birds form a subject of great interest, and one, moreover, which has not yet been fully investigated. The great interest of the subject lies in the fact that metallic colour in birds is often almost entirely confined to the male sex. If the colours and ornaments of the male sex are, as Wallace and others have maintained, an expression of his greater " vitality and growth-power," it may reasonably be asked why this vitality should so frequently express itself in structural colour, which can hardly be supposed to have much physiological importance. Although the present paper does not profess to attack the problem of the origin in the physiological processes of the individual of these colours, yet it is hoped that some of the points discussed may ultimately prove of service in the solution of this problem. The families of the Humming-birds and Sun-birds were chosen for two reasons. In the first place, both families include species or genera exhibiting metallic colouring of extraordinary brilliancy, and also other genera and species which are devoid of all metallic colouring. In the second place, the two families present marked, if superficial, points of resemblance, although systematists are all agreed in separating them very widely. On this account it was thought that a detailed comparison of their colouring would disclose facts of interest. 1 Communicated by F. E. B E D D A R D , F.E.S. |
