NARINA 1ROGON.—Apci.loikrma Naruta. 



chosen by the Nariiia Trogon for a feeding season ; but M'hen the sun has risen high above 

 the horizon, the bird ceases its labours, and betakes itself to its resting-place. 



The general colour of this beautiful bird is emerald green, shining with an almost 

 metallic lustre. This hue is spread over the whole of the upjier surface, except the wings 

 and tail, and also tinges the throat and chest. Tlie abdomen and remainder of tlie under 

 surface are bright red. The wings are brown covered with minute dots of grey upon the 

 secondaries and greater coverts, and the tail is coloured with several shades of green above, 

 diversified by the pure white of the three outer feathers on each side. The beak is 

 yellowish blue. The female bird is differently coloured, her plumage being of the following 

 hues : — The green of the upper surface and throat is not quite so resplendent as in her 

 mate, and a rusty brown tint is spread over the throat and round the eyes, warming into 

 a delicate rose upon the chest. The total length of the liird is nearly one foot. 



As a general rule it is a very silent bird, but during the pairing season the male 

 constantly utters a loud and rather doleful cry, so that on the whole it is thought to be 

 rather a sad and melancholy bii'd. The nest is made in the hole of a tree, and the eggs 

 are four in number, rather globular, of a rosy-white hue, caused most probably by the 

 semi-transparency of the shell. The young are said to be able to follow their mother as 

 soon as hatched. 



In descrilnng these birds, it is not easy to avoid a considerable sameness in the 

 language, on account of the frequent recurrence of the same gorgeous tinting. The words 

 gi-een, scarlet, black, and wliite necessarily occur so frequently, that the aid of colour is 

 almost needed to enable the reader to realize the full vividness of the plumage which 

 decorates these wonderful biixls, which receives but scant justice from the plain black and 

 white of a wood engraving. From the feathers of the Trogons, the ancient IMexicans 

 were accustomed to make their justly famed feather pictures and mantles. For this 

 purpose thousands of these and similar birds were kept in confinement, a whole army of 

 attendants being maintained for the ^uirpose of attending to them and securing their 

 valuable plumage. 



