TROGONS. 



349 



The trogons are all birds of bright plumage, even the hens having brilliant 

 colours in many of the species. They are often called Heterodactyli on 

 account of their peculiar feet, Vfhich constitute the chief 



structural feature of the order. The palate is schizognathous The Trogons. 



or slit, and the second toe is turned backwards. The front Order IVogones. 

 plantar tendon (flexor perforcms digitorum) is split into two, 

 and leads to the two front toes, while the hind plantar [fiexorlongos haUiicis) 

 is again split, and leads to the two hind toes. The plumage of the trogons 

 is of the softest description, and the skin is so thin that we have often heard 

 travellers say that it has no more substance than tissue-paper, and every one 

 admits that trogons are the most difficult birds in the world to prepare. 



At the present day the order is distributed over Africa, a great part of 

 India and the Malayan sub-region, but they are most numerous in Central and 

 Southern America. In ancient times they occurred in France, as fossil remains 

 have been found there along with those of touracoes and secretary-birds. 



One of the most splendid of birds is the long-trained trogon or quezal, 

 which has been adopted by the republic of Guatemala as its national em- 

 blem, and figures on the postage stamps of that country. It has a tail of 

 eight inches in length, but the upper tail-coverts are enormously developed, 

 the central ones extending into a train four times as long as tlie actual tail 

 itself. The quezal is found in Guatemala and Costa Rica, but is not so 

 plentiful as formerly ; it is entirely a bird of the forests, and has a rapid 

 flight. Mr. Stolzmann noticed the Peruvian quezal clinging to the trunks of 

 trees like a woodpecker. 



The American trogons (Trogon) are chiefly fruit-eaters, like the African 

 species of Hapaloderma. They are entirely forest birds, and are said to be 

 rather stupid, not even flying away at the 

 report of a gun, so that a whole party may be 

 shot down one after the other. They are gene- 

 rally seen in pairs, but occasionally assemble in 

 small flocks. The note is variously described as 

 being harsh, or clucking, as well as soft and 

 low. Of the Peruvian species, Trogon caligatus, 

 Mr. Stolzmann gives the note as " cou-cou-cou- 

 cou-co-co-co-co," the second half being uttered in 

 a lower tone than the first. The Indian tro- 

 gons (Harpactes) are more insect-feeders than 

 their American allies. The eggs of trogons 

 are white or pale-buff (that of the quezal being 

 said to be greenish-blue), three or four in 

 number, and deposited on the dry wood in the 

 hole of a tree. 



Two sub-orders are represented in this order, 

 viz. the cuckoos {Gucidi) and the touracoes 

 (Musophagi), the former being a cosmopolitan group, and the latter being con- 

 fined to Africa, though there is evidence that in ancient times 

 touracoes inhabited Europe, as fossil remains of these birds 

 have been found in France. The cuckoos and the touracoes 

 have the following characters in common, which difl'erentiate 

 the Coccyges from all other orders of birds. The first and 

 fourth toe are turned backwards, and the second and 

 third forwards, the hallux being always developed, and served by the /exor 



Fiq. 82. — The Large-tailed 

 Trogon (^Trogon inacrurus). 



The Cuckoo- 

 like Birds.— 

 Order 



Coccyges. 



