Mr. T. C. Eyton's Notes on Birds. 313 



The sternum of Trogon lias the inferior edge of the keel much 

 arched, among the Kingfishers it is nearly straight ; it is also pro- 

 portionately deeper, and has its anterior edge more deeply scol- 

 loped than in that family. 



The branches of the os furcatum are less laterally flattened, 

 and not so broad in Trogon as among the Kingfishers ; the former 

 has also a process where that bone approaches the sternum, which 

 is wanting among the latter. The terminal joint of the caudal 

 vertebrae is also larger in Trogon than among the Alcedice. 



The remainder of the skeleton is so precisely similar to that of 

 the smaller species of Kingfishers that it is impossible to point 

 out any distinctions. It is to be regretted that so little is known 

 of the habits of the Trogons ; I am informed however by Capt. 

 A. Charlton, who has lately returned from Malacca with a large 

 collection of objects of natural history, that they frequent only 

 the dense forests of that country, sitting nearly perpendicularly 

 on branches of trees, and making, when an insect comes in view, 

 a sudden dart in a straight line at it, retm'ning often to the 

 same bough which had previously been occupied. I am also in- 

 formed by Mr. Gould, that Mr. Dyson, who has lately returned 

 from Honduras with a collection of birds in spirits, of which the 

 subject of this paper formed a part, made the same remark to 

 him regarding the position of the bird when at rest. 



These observations confirm in a certain degree what the osteo- 

 logy shows, namely a near affinity between the Kingfishers and 

 Trogons in habit and in the mode of taking their prey by a sud- 

 den dart. 



The intestinal anatomy merely bears that resemblance to the 

 Cuculidce which the anatomy of one insect-feeding bird often bears 

 to another. 



The Trogonidce therefore, as far as I am at present acquainted 

 with them, appear to be, if I may be allowed the expression, a 

 family of partially or wholly insect-feeding Kingfishers, and must 

 be classed in a natural system near to that family. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE VIIL 



Fig. \. Tongue, oesophagus, proventriculus and stomach. 



Fig. 2. Caeca. 



Fig. 3. Sternum. 



Fig. 4. Coracoid. 



Fig. 6. Scapular. 



Fig. 6. Portion of cranium, showing the lachrymal hones. 



Fig. 7. Pelvis, upper surface. 



Ann. ^ Mag. N. Hist. Vol. xvii. 



