Mexican Shear-tail (Thaumastura Elizæ), John Gould We have here a Humming-bird of especial beauty; its colouring being so chaste and its form so elegant, that it is unsurpassed in loveliness by any other member of the section to which it belongs. This illustration has been restored to its original vibrancy by enhancing colors and removing unwanted marks. A monograph of the Trochilidæ, or family of humming-birds was published between 1849 and 1887 by English ornithologist John Gould. This monumental work depicts and describes all the known species of hummingbirds at the time - comprising 418 lithographic plates and information on 537 species."