PROCEEDINGS OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION. 430 



high in the scale of organisation as the Swallow being capable of hyber- 

 nating.* 



Mr. Gould exhibited several drawings of birds, and proceeded to make some 

 remarks on the family Trogonidce. Tnis family, he stated, might be regarded as 

 strictly tropical, as by far the greater number of the species inhabited South 

 America ; none of those inhabiting Asia and Africa having any specific relation 

 with those of America. It is a remarkably isolated group, no direct affinity with 

 other forms having been discovered. In organization and economy they are 

 perhaps nearest the Caprimulgidce. They inhabit the most retired and gloomy 

 forests, remaining secluded during the day, and appearing at night ; evening and 

 morning being the only time in which they take their prey. They usually feed 

 on insects, capturing them during flight, but sometimes they feed on berries. 

 They incubate in the holes of trees, and, like the majority of Fissirostral birds, 

 produce white eggs. The tribe present among themselves but little difference of 

 structure. There are, however, well marked divisions according to their geogra- 

 phical range. Mr. Swainson divides them into five minor groups, Trogon, 

 Harpactes, Apaloderma, Temnurm, and Calurus. The species of bird that Mr. 

 Gould presented before the Section belonged to the latter group, and he proposed 

 to call it Calurus Peruvianus. This subgenus comprises the most beautiful 

 birds of the whole family, and perhaps in the creation ; it contains five species, 

 only one of which until lately had been characterized. The present species, 

 although it has not the lengthened upper tail feathers of the C. resplendens, 

 (which was exhibited), yet its relations to that species were sufficiently obvious. 



Dr. Vigors, M.P., remarked on the necessity of not. only knowing the structure 

 and plumage of birds, but also their general economy, in order to arrange them 

 in a proper manner. The kind of food this family, the Trogonidce, partook of, 

 would, in a great measure, determine their relations. They appeared to stand 

 between the Scansorial and Fissirostral birds. Their feeding and colour brought 

 them near to the latter group, but their powers of wing were not so great. 



Mr. Bickersteth then presented some milk that had been obtained from the 

 Galactodendron utile, the Cow-tree of Humboldt. 



* We wonder at this subject being seriously discussed by the members of the Section, as 

 there exist so many facts proving the impossibility of birds hybernating. There is nothing re- 

 markable in a bird living for a few days imbedded in ice ; all animals (even Man) will bear to be 

 surrounded for many days with ice or snow which never have a temperature less than 32°. Some 

 of the members inquired how could the animals respire ? We believe that ice contains air and is 

 pervious to the atmosphere, and thus afforded an abundant supply to maintain the low state 

 of vitality in which the Swallows must have existed. The notice of Swallows issuing from Gras- 

 mere Lake, in The Naturalist, p. 381, requires a more minute and definite description of the 

 circumstances before the occurrence can be looked upon as a fact. 



3m2 



