1782 



THE PICARIAN BIRDS 



as far west as the forests of the Knysna district. On the west coast from Fanti to 

 the Gabun, we meet with Ussher's trogon (H. constantia); while in East Africa, 

 from the Zanzibar forest region into Kikuyu, is found the banded trogon (H. mt- 



tatunt}. Very little has 

 been noted about the hab- 

 its of these birds, but 

 Mr. Layard states that the 

 Narina trogon is a very 

 shy species, only found in 

 the forest districts. Its 

 food consists of fruit and 

 insects; and its cry is a 

 loud moaning note, heot, 

 which has been compared 

 to the bark of a poodle 

 with a cold. This trogon 

 is reported to nest in hollow 

 trees, where it lays four 

 white eggs. 



The In- 

 Indian ,. 



Trogons diantrogons, 

 constituting 



the genus Harpades, are 

 beautifully plumaged 

 birds, distinguished by the 

 bare sides of the face, and 



>the chestnut tail, barred with black at the tip, of 

 both sexes. The genus is represented by eleven 

 species, some of which measure as much as a foot in 

 length, while all are characterized by their brilliant 

 coloration. One of the best known is the red- 

 headed trogon {H. erythrocephalus} , characterized by 

 the chestnut breast, the deep crimson head, neck, 

 and under parts, and the black wings, in which the 

 primaries are edged with white, while the wing cov- 

 erts and inner secondaries are finely vermiculated 

 with white; the gape and region of the eye being 

 bare and of a purplish blue color, while the bill is 

 bluish with a black tip, the feet pinkish, and the 

 eye dull red. The female is not quite so bright in 

 color as the male, the lower parts being duller; 

 the back as well as the neck and breast reddish 



brown, and the vermiculations on the wing coverts buff instead of white. The hab- 

 its of this trogon differ from those of its American allies, for Mr. Gates says that its 

 food consists entirely of insects, on which it swoops after the manner of a flycatcher. 



