290 BIRDS OF WESTERN AND 



very little concerned at my presence. In examining the stomach of one shot by me, I found it crammed 

 with the small fry peculiar to muddy pools, among which was a mud catfish of considerable size. It doubtless 

 breeds in holes scratched in sand cliffs, like the other members of this family, but I have never encountered 

 the nest." 



137. Ceryle amazona (Lath.). 



" " Finsch, Abh. nat. Ver. zu Bremen, 1870, p. 328. 



Mazatlan, Grajsou ; Tupila River, Xantus. 



"This handsome species is not common, but I have found it about the Rio Mazatlan at nearly all seasons. 

 It appears to be a constant resident." 



138. Ceryle americana var. cahinisi (Tsch.). 



Mazatlan, Grayson, Xantus; Tepic, Grayson; Plains of Colima, Tupila River, Xantus. 



" This handsome little species usually inhabits the small fresh water streams, especially those of the moun- 

 tains, and sometimes the estuaries on the sea coast. In the region of Tepic it is quite common, and I saw it 

 in several localities from that point on the road to Guadalajara. It is a constant resident." 



Fam. Trogootd^. 





139. Trocjon ambigims Gould. 

 " Proc. Bost. Soc. of N. H., xtv., p. 272. 

 " Finsch, Abh. nat. Ver. zu Bremen, 1870, p. 326. 



Mazatlan, Tres Marias, Grayson. 



"This richly plumaged bii-d is a habitant of the warmer regions of Mexico, from Sinaloa to Central Amer- 

 ica, on the west side. It is to be met with only in the dark forests of the tierra callente. It breeds in the 

 hollows of trees like the parrots; incubates in June and July." 



This species has been in some cases mistaken for T. mexicamis ; although much alike in 

 general coloring, they may be readily separated by the colors and distinctive markings of 

 the tail. 



T. ambiguus has the central tail feathers coppery-red, with a rather broad terminal black 

 bar ; the outer feathers are brownish-black at their bases, with their ends white, the inter- 

 mediate portion of these feathers is white, marked on both webs with very narrow irregu- 

 lar freckled lines of black, or as expressed by Pi'ince Bonaparte, " nigro vermictiJatis." 



In T. m.exlcanus the central tail feathers are bluish-green, ending narrowly with black ; 

 the lateral feathers are black ending with white, but the white color of the ends not evenly 

 defined, as in T. ambigims ; the outer webs are very regulaily barred with white, and the 

 margin of the inner webs marked with white indentations. 



T. mexicanus is probably peculiar to Eastern Mexico ; my specimen came from Jalapa. 

 It is accurately figured by Swainson (Zool. Ills., 2d series, pi. 82). 



140. Trogon citreolus Gould. 



" Finsch, Abh. nat. Yer. zu Bremen, 1870, p. 327. 

 Mazatlan, Grayson. 



"Well distributed throughout the forests uf tlic tierra callente of this region. I found it also in Tehuante- 

 pec. Native, and does not migrate." 



