Sophia’s Erythonote (Erythronota Sophiæ), John Gould Before taking up my pen to give an account and description of the bird figured on the opposite Plate: I have carefully examined, side by side, the type-specimen from which M. Bourcier took his description of Trochilus Sophiæ, the type-specimen of the bird I described as Trochilus caligatus, and, through the kindness of the Director of the Royal Museum of Berlin, a veritable example of M. Cabanis’ Hemithylaca Hoffmanni; and I find that the three birds are so precisely alike, that Iam unable to detect any difference either in size, markings, or colour: the date of publication must therefore determine which of the three names is to be retained as a specific designation for the present species; and as that of M. Bourcier was proposed in 1846, my own in 1848, and M. Cabanis’ in 1860, the former must be the one adopted, and the others placed in the rank of synonyms. 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."
 
                                 
                         Spotted-breasted Humming-bird, John GouldHummingbirds
Spotted-breasted Humming-bird, John GouldHummingbirds Fanny’s Wood Star, John GouldHummingbirds
Fanny’s Wood Star, John GouldHummingbirds Ruby and Topaz, John GouldHummingbirds
Ruby and Topaz, John GouldHummingbirds The Sappho Comet, John GouldHummingbirds
The Sappho Comet, John GouldHummingbirds Saucerotte’s Erythonote, John GouldHummingbirds
Saucerotte’s Erythonote, John GouldHummingbirds Sophia’s Erythonote, John GouldHummingbirds
Sophia’s Erythonote, John GouldHummingbirds Blue-headed Sapphire, John GouldHummingbirds
Blue-headed Sapphire, John GouldHummingbirds Great Jacobin, John GouldHummingbirds
Great Jacobin, John GouldHummingbirds Letitia, John GouldHummingbirds
Letitia, John GouldHummingbirds Sun Gem, John GouldHummingbirds
Sun Gem, John GouldHummingbirds Golden Star-frontlet, John GouldHummingbirds
Golden Star-frontlet, John GouldHummingbirds Red-throated Sapphire, John GouldHummingbirds
Red-throated Sapphire, John GouldHummingbirds Whitely’s Humming-bird, John GouldHummingbirds
Whitely’s Humming-bird, John GouldHummingbirds Train-bearer, John GouldHummingbirds
Train-bearer, John GouldHummingbirds Jardine’s Panoplites, John GouldHummingbirds
Jardine’s Panoplites, John GouldHummingbirds Brazilian Violet-Ear, John GouldHummingbirds
Brazilian Violet-Ear, John GouldHummingbirds Belted Hermit, John GouldHummingbirds
Belted Hermit, John GouldHummingbirds Evening Humming Bird, John GouldHummingbirds
Evening Humming Bird, John GouldHummingbirds White-bellied Emerald, John GouldHummingbirds
White-bellied Emerald, John GouldHummingbirds Short-billed Emerald, John GouldHummingbirds
Short-billed Emerald, John GouldHummingbirds