THE NAEINA TROGON. 159 



This diver.sity of ooloiiiiu,^ in the sexes, which hcikU throughout the entire group, is 

 productive of very great trouble to the systematic naturalist, as the two sexes are in many 

 cases so very unlike each other that there is hardly any criterion for settling the species 

 to which they belong, except by patient and careful observation of tiieir habits when at 

 liberty iu their native haunts. When, moreover, the birds are shy anil retiring in tlieir 

 habits, as is the case with many of the Trogons, the amount of labour which is entaileil 

 upon the observer is more tlian doulded, and the value of such a work as Mr. Gould's 

 monograph is proportionately increased. 



The Mexican Teogon is, as its name implies, an inhabitant of that country whose 

 name it bears, being generally found in the northern districts of Mexico. It is worthy of 

 remark that the Trogons of America are all similar in their colouring, tlie upper parts of 

 the adult males being green, and the under portions either scarlet or yellow. The young 

 male and the female birx^^ls are not so brilliant in hue. In most instances the outer quill 

 feathers of the tail are barred with black and white. The beak of these species is marked 

 with notches along the tip of the mandibles and pointed with bristly hairs at the base. 



In the Mexican Trogon, the females and young males are so different from the adult 

 liird in their plumage, that each must be described separately. The adult male, when lie 

 has obtained the fall glory of his feathery adornment, is coloured as follows. The entire 

 upper surface of the body, together with the chest, are of a beautifully rich glossy green, 

 and tlie whole of the under surface, with the exception of tlie chest, is bright scarlet. 

 The throat and ear-coverts are black, and a crescent-shaped band of white surrounds the 

 tliroat. The wings are black, finely dotted with grey, except the primaries, which are 

 wholly black. The tail is curiously diversified with black, white, and green. The two 

 central feathers are green, ti])ped with black, the two next are black, and the remainder 

 black tipped witli white. The head is bright yellow. 



Tiie female is not coloured so gorgeously as the male, but is sufficiently Ijrilliant in 

 hue to be considered a veiy handsome bird were not her colours overpowered by the 

 superior beauty of her mate. The rich green feathers of the male are in her of dark 

 olive-brown, taking a slight green hue on tlie back, and chestnut on the upper part of the 

 breast. The under parts are scarlet, as in tlie male, and tliere is a grey streak across the 

 chest. The wings are black, splashed with brown and wliite, tlie latter hue being found 

 mostly on the edges of the primaries. The tail is scarlet, similar to that of the male, 

 except that the green feathers of the centre are replaced with brown, tipped with black, 

 the two next entirely black, and the other feathers are barred with black and white 

 throughout. The bill is yellow, tinged with brown. 



The young male possesses the black and white liarred tail, and white fringed primary 

 feathers of the female bird, but may be distinguished from her by the green hue of its 

 upper surface and chest. The wings are not so black as in the adult liird, but take a 

 decided tinge of brown on the secondaries, and are spotted rather profusely with grey. 

 The total length of the Mexican Trogon is about one foot, of which the tail occupies very 

 nearly eight inches. 



The Nakina Trogon is an inhabitant of Africa, and is generally found in the densest 

 forests of the southern portions of that continent. Its rather graceful name was given to 

 it by Le Vaillant, in remembrance of Narina, a young Gonaqua Hottentot girl, whose 

 dusky charms and savage graces made an instantaneous and most powerful impression on 

 the heart of the susceptible Frenchman. 



This species has many of the habits of the flycatcher, with the exception of its 

 partially nocturnal mode of life. During the daytime it seeks the darkest recesses of its 

 native forests, and selecting a dead Iji-anch as its perch, sits dull and motionless until the 

 evening. It then sallies from its place of refuge, and settling upon a convenient bough, 

 sweeps upon every insect that may pass within a convenient distance, and carrying its 

 prey back to the perch, devours it at leisure. It also is fond of chasing various beetles 

 as they run upon the ground or along the branches of trees, and feeds largely upon the 

 caterpillars and other larvae which abound in such localities. The early morning is also 



