78 Sir W. Jardine on the Ornithology of the Island of Tohago, 



VIII. — Horce Zoologicce. By Sir William Jardine, Bart., 

 E.E.S.E. & F.L.S. 



[Continued from vol. xviii. p. 121.] 

 Ornithology of the Island of Tohago. 

 TrOGON COLLARIS, VieilL s.* 

 Mr. Kirk says in one of his early notes, "very rare,^^ but from 

 the number of specimens received from him and seen in his pos- 

 session, we judge he had not at that time discovered their loca- 

 hty in the island. Mr. Gould, in his beautiful monograph, gives 

 Brazil and Cayenne as the true country of the species, and states, 

 " from any localities to the north of which countries I have never 

 seen specimens.'^ The white spot posterior to the eye of the fe- 

 male, and ring of white feathers encircling it, do not appear in 

 thQse figures. 



We have been able only partially to examine the structure of 

 this bird, and feel much inclined to agree with those who place 

 the Trogons with the Fissirostres. The very tender skin and 

 loose soft plumage, the habits partially nocturnal, or frequenting 

 thick and shaded woods, and the generally insectivorous food, 

 assimilate them with the Caprimulgidce, while the observations of 

 Mr. Eyton place them among the Kingfishers. We may be able 

 to illustrate this more fully ere long, but may in the meantime 

 state that the tongue is short, bifid at the tip, thick and mus- 

 cular, at the base ; the stomach round and slightly elongated, and 

 in all that were opened contained the remains of Grylli, Lepi- 

 doptera and caterpillars; in one only a few seeds were found; 

 the caeca are about one half the length of the space between their 

 origin and the anus ; the whole general structure weak. Mr. Kirk 

 remarks in one letter, " This bird has the most tender skin of 

 any I ever attempted to skin ; the note is four distinct shrill 

 mournful whistles diminishing in duration ; I cannot describe it 

 better than by saying it is four notes of E natural on flageolet, 

 which I have this moment tried ;" and in another he observes, 

 " The orbits of the female, encircled by a single row of white 

 feathers, terminating a little broader towards the corner of the 

 eye backwards, have the appearance at some distance of a white 

 spot. Feed upon berries and fruit ; are remarkably stupid ; I 

 have frequently called them half a mile distant and brought them 

 within twenty yards. Their note is four distinct hoo, hoo, hoo, 

 hoos, which they cease as soon as they see the person calling 

 them, but seem to apprehend no danger, as they generally sit 



* Species marked n. are also found in North America ; s. in South Ame- 

 rica; 



