DIAGNOSIS OF A NEW GENUS OF TROGONS (HETERO- 

 TROGON), BASED ON HAPALODERMA VITTATUM OF 

 SHELLEY; WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE FEMALE OF 

 THAT SPECIES. 



By Charles W. Eichmond, 



Jssisiniit Curaior of the Heparimeni of Birds. 



Among the many birds sent to the United States National Museum 

 from Mount Kilima-Njaroandotlier points in East Africa, by Dr. W. L. 

 Abbott, are four very tine specimens of the rare HapaJoderma* vittatum, 

 Slielley, the female of which is, apparently, as yet undescribed. The 

 specimens sent by Dr. Abbott consist of one adult and one immature 

 female and two adult males, all obtained on Mount Kilima-Njaro, 

 between 6,000 and 7,000 feet altitude, during the years 1S8S and 1889. 



An examination of these specimens, and a careful comparison with 

 the common African trogon {A. narina) leads me to believe this species 

 should be removed from Apahxlerma and recognized as rejn-esenting a 

 distinct genus. From Apaloderma narina, its supposed nearest rela- 

 ti\ e, it differs in several important respects. The bill is very small and 

 slender, and much compressed from above downward, being, in fact, the 

 extreme in this direction, among the Old World trogons. The tomia 

 of both maxilla and mandible are without serrations behind the 

 subterminal notch, the presence or absence of which is an important 

 factor in the recognition of genera in this very homogeneous family. 

 Both A. narina and its close ally (probably subspecies), A. constantia, 

 have these serrations, they being the only known representatives of the 

 frtmily in the Old World possessing this character. The pattern of col- 

 oration in the female of A. vittatum differs from that of A. narina in 

 that the color of the whole head is unlike that of the male; in the lat- 

 ter species the top of the head is similar to that of the male. Another 

 character, of probably not more than specific importance, is the differ- 

 ence in the pattern of coloration of the tail. In ^4. narina the three 

 outer retrices are white for their exposed portion, while in A. rittattim 

 these feathers are conspicuously marked with black and white bars. 



In view of these very considerable differences existing between the 

 two species, fully enough, in my estimation, to warrant the adoption of 



* Oi-iginally spelled Apaloderma by Swaiiison. 



Proceedings of tl e IT. S. Kational j^luseum, Vol. XVII— No. 1024. 



601 



