Train-bearer (Lesbia Amaryllis), John Gould It must, I think, be apparent to every one who has studied natural history, that in every true genus some one character or set of characters predominates over the rest; and I may remark that in no department of this branch of science is this feature more conspicuous than among birds, where, in addition to some distinctive character being common to all the species of a genus, we frequently find that character carried in one or other of them to an extent far greater than in any of the others. 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."