NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOWJ Ul 



Central America, the Trojon resplendens is known by the name of 

 Quezal, or bird of the Incas, royalty alone being privileged to wear 

 their tail plumes. In the aviaries of the Mexican Emperors, these 

 birds were found by Cortez. Were they brought from Central 

 America, or have they yet to be discovered in the forests of 

 Mexico 1 



The ornithological details of both male and female of these fine 

 birds are now well known. At Panama, we frequently see the 

 male brought from Guatemala by the passengers of the steamships, 

 though not very Avell preserved. I was told they were purchased 

 at from five to eight dollars. I do not see why they might not be 

 caught when young, and brought home, just as well and easily as 

 the parrot-tribe. 



The geographical distribution of this species is scarcely less 

 interesting than the bird itself. It is at least curious that, not a 

 representative, but identical species should be found at points so 

 far apart. It evidently follows the line of the Cordilleras, and 

 seems to affect the vicinity of volcanic mountains. The oak 

 region, below which it is never found in Chiriqui, according to 

 Humboldt's rule of decrease of temperature in the Cordilleras 

 within the tropics, would give a mean temperature of 69° 7', 

 allowing 341 feet for each degree. The fact of its having lately 

 been discovered near other volcanic mountains, somewhat farther 

 north in the Cordilleras of Costa Eica, would point to some local 

 cause other than mere isothermal limitation. It is probable that 

 the state of the soil produced by remote volcanic action favours 

 the development of its favourite food, besides maintaining a 

 meteorological condition of the atmosphere favourable to its 

 habitvides. At Nicarag-ua, where the great bulk of the line of 

 the Cordilleras becomes broken up, giving rise to its large lake 

 and detached ranges of hills, we have no notice of its presence, 

 nor in the neighbouring States of Salvador and Honduras, 

 although abounding in volcanoes of great violence and activity 

 — conditions of the mountain systems, however, more naturally 

 repugnant than attractive to the bird. Whether the Avide dis- 

 tribution of this species along the line of the Cordilleras, and 

 its absence in the immediate low lands, is to be explained on 

 the views of Professor Forbes, as connected with the geological 

 changes that have affected their area, is not for me to determine. 

 The presence, however, of the species at points and intervals so 



