310 INSESSORES. 



low and feeble wings, are to him as effectual for securing his 

 prey, as are, for the same purpose, the long and powerful pin- 

 ions of the Swallow to him. 



Eurylaimus, (Gr. eurus, broad; laimos, throat,) is a genus of 

 Todies peculiar to the Eastern Continent. One species is E. Ja- 

 vanicus, in which the beak is, at the base, nearly as broad as its 

 length. Sir Stamford Raffles says : "It frequents the banks of 

 rivers and lakes, feeding on insects and worms. It builds nests 

 pendent from the branch of a tree or bush which overhangs the 



FOURTH FAMILY. TROGONIDJE. TROGONS. 



This is not a large family of birds, but one pre-eminent in 

 beauty and brilliancy of plumage. The color is usually a me- 

 tallic golden green, strongly contrasted with scarlet, black and 

 brown. 



The Trogons have two toes behind and two before, as in the 

 Woodpecker ; still they have not the habit or power of climbing. 

 The wings are very short but pointed; the quill-feathers stiff; 

 the general plumage soft and thick. The beak is short, triangu- 

 lar-shaped and strong; the tip, and generally the edges are 

 notched ; the gape is wide. The head is rather large, and the 

 form full and plump ; the tail remarkably long and ample ; the 

 feathers regularly decrease in length outward ; and in one genus, 

 Calurus, (Gr. kalos, beautiful ; oura, tail,) the tail-coverts are so 

 greatly developed as to conceal the tail, and hang down in nar- 

 row flowing plumes of great length. (See Chart.) 



The food of the Trogons consists principally of insects, 

 "which," says Mr. Gould, "they seize upon the wing, as their 

 wide gape enables them to do with facility ; while their feeble 

 tarsi and feet are such as to qualify them merely for resting on 

 the branches as a post of observation, whence to mark their prey 

 as it passes, and to which, having given chase, to return. Daz- 

 zled by the brightness of the meridional sun, morning and even- 

 ing twilight is the season of their activity." The recesses of 

 the thickest forests form their chosen abode for the entire year. 

 The Trogons of the most exquisite plumage are found .in South 

 America. According to Mr. Gould, twenty-three species are 

 inhabitants of America and its Islands, ten of the Indian Islands 

 and India, and one of Africa. 



The remarkable plumage and shy habits of the Trogons were 

 closely observed by the ancient Mexicans. According to Cortes, 

 three hundred men were employed in taking care of the Royal 



