The Romance of Natural History, by Philip Henry Gosse. London: James Nisbet and Co., 1861. Second Series.
Philip Henry Gosse was a science popularizer. This book, full of engravings typical of the mid-19th century natural history book, has some very poetic passages on the beauty of hummingbirds, as well as reports of “marvellous” events like fish- and frog-falls (almost proto-Fortean).
Still, conspicuous above all are the Humming-birds, which, revelling in this region of the sun, are buzzing around the blossoming shrubs like insects. And preeminent among these is the Fiery Topaz, a name that attempts to express what neither title, nor description, nor coloured figure can adequately express,–its gemmeous magnificence and lustre. One of the first ornithologists of the age, the Prince of Canino, has assigned to the species the honour of being “inter Trochilides pulcherrimus.” Description, however, I must give, for want of anything better, since, even if I possessed a living specimen, I could not exhibit its living radiance to all my readers: therefore, pray pay attention to the details, and imagine. The general hue of this imperial atom is a blazing scarlet, in fine contrast with which the head and lower part of the throat are deep velvet-black. The gorget of the throat is emerald green, with a cloud of delicate crimson in the centre. The lower part of the back, the rump and the upper tail-coverts are of that beautiful bronzed green which changes to orange gold, so frequently seen in this tribe; while the wing-quills and tail are purplish black, except the middle pair of feathers in the latter, which are very slender, project to a great length, and cross each other; these are green with a purple gloss.
(Field Museum’s drawing of Topaza pyra.)
The engraving entitled “Climbing Perch” is subjoined to this post.
