I 



MASSENA'S TUOGON.— 2'/(»;on Miussinw. 



MEXICiVN TROGaN.— rroanji Mcxicdmis. 



The Trogons are mostly silent birds, the only cry used being that of the male during 

 the season of pairing. It is not a very agreeable sound, being of a sombre and 

 melancholy cast, and thought to resemble the word " couroucouron," a continuation of 

 syllables which 1ms therefore been applied to the entire tribe. The Trogons liave been 

 sefiarated into five genora, each of wliich will find an example in the following pages. 



The splendid bird whicli has been called ]\Ias8ENa's Teogon, in complimentary 

 allusion to the celebrated prince of that name, is an inhabitant of Central America, 

 specimens from Honduras and jNIexico being in the collection of the British Museum. 

 In size it is rather large, measuring fourteen inches in total length. 



In tlie tinting of tlie plumage the two sexes are very diflerent from eacli otlier, and are 

 coloured brielly as follows. In the male, the crown of the head, the back and chest are a deep 

 rich green, contrasting well witli the jetty, glos.sy black of the ear-coverts and thi-oat ; the 

 breast and abdomen are of a rich scarlet. The ground tint of the centre of the wings is 

 a soft grey, pencilled with exquisitely delicate lines of jetty black. The quill feathers of 

 the wing are jetty black, ench leather being edged M'ith pure white ; and tlie quill feathers 

 of the tail are also l)lack, with the exception of the two centrtil feathers, which are imbued 

 with changealde hues of dark green and purple throughout the greater part of tlieir 

 length, and are tipped with a black patcli at the extremity. The bill is light yellow. 



Tlie female bircl possesses a more sober plumage than her mate. The upper parts of the 

 body, instead of being richly coloured with deep green, are of a dark bluish-grey ; and the 

 wings, instead of being finely pencilled with black upon grey, are ]>owdered with the 

 same tints. The abdomen and breast are scarlet, and the bill is rather curiously coloured, 

 the upper mandible lieing black and the lower yeUow. 



