Spathura rufocaligata (Peruvian Racket-tail).

From A Monograph of the Trochilidae, or Family of Humming-Birds, 6 vols., large folio. Published in London, 1849–1887. Printed by Hullmandel and Walter from drawings by J. Gould, H. C. Richter, and William Hart, lithographed by the artists.

The Peruvian Racket-tail is among the most distinctive of Gould’s hummingbirds, known for its brilliant green plumage, rufous leg tufts, and extraordinary tail feathers that end in bare shafts tipped with spatulate disks. In Gould’s hand-colored lithograph, the bird is captured hovering delicately beside tropical blossoms, its tail elegantly fanned to display the unusual form for which the species is named. Metallic pigments enhance the shimmering greens and blues of its plumage, while the surrounding foliage and flowers provide a vibrant setting that accentuates the bird’s intricate structure and lively character.

John Gould’s Monograph of the Trochilidae stands as one of the grand achievements of Victorian natural history illustration. Produced over nearly forty years, it united Gould’s exhaustive field research with the masterful artistry of Henry Constantine Richter and William Hart. The Peruvian Racket-tail plate perfectly exemplifies their collaboration—where scientific precision meets the grace of fine art, immortalizing one of nature’s most ornate and captivating hummingbirds.