258 



2fE8TS AND EQGB OF 



* * MoTMOT iFrom Brehm). 



Arizona, June 16, 1894. This specimen 

 has a copper-colored tail above, with 

 the crown, hind-neck, back and scapu- 

 lars a deep metallic green, varying to 

 coppery bronze. The length of this 

 species varies from eleven to twelve 

 inches, the tail ranging from 6.50 to 

 7.20 inches. There is no longer doubt 

 that this beautiful species breeds in 

 some of the mountain ranges of South- 

 ern Arizona, as it has been taken a 

 number of times in that region from 

 June to August. The Trogons, whose 

 breeding habits are known, nest in the 

 ij natural cavities of trees or in cavities 

 excavated by woodpeckers, the eggs 

 being deposited in the bottom of the 

 holes, on the rubbish or chips which 

 may be found in them. The eggs are 

 said to vary from two to four in num- 

 ber, unspotted. The eggs of the Mexi- 

 can Trogon are described as a very pale 

 green in color, while those of Trtigon 

 surucua from Paraguay are said to be 

 pure white. The late Maj. Charles E. 

 Bendire, in the second volume of uis 

 "Life Histories of North American 

 Birds," says: "I have seen eggs pur- 

 porting to belong to this species, but 

 their large size, as well as the source 

 from which they came, do not warrant 

 me In giving measurements or a de- 

 scription of these specimens, and as 

 far as I know, genuine eggs of the Cop- 

 ■piery-talled Trogon still remain to be 

 described." With the above facts in 

 view I venture to describe a set of this 

 bird's eggs In the collection of Mr. R. P. 

 Sharpies, of Springfield, 111. The eggs, 

 three in number, were taken June 14, 

 1882, in the vicinity of Mazattan, Mexi- 

 co, by Mr. A. Forrer. The nest was 

 placed in a hole in a bluff of a river, ten 

 feet above the bed of the stream and 



two feet below the top surface of the bank, and the cavity extended in about eighteen* 

 Inches. The eggs are dull white in color, nearly oval in form, and the shell has very ' 

 indistinct lines, resembling water marks in writing paper. Their sizes are as fol- 

 lows: 1.12X.86, l.lOx.87, 1.03X.84 Inches. According to the data furnished with this 

 set of eggs these birds nest in small colonies; six sets of eggs having been secured: 

 from the bank where this set was obtained. 



