TROGON MELANURUS, Swains. 
Black-tailed Trog*on. 
Mas 
Trog 
^ectore summo corporeque supra, intense aureo-viridibus ; loro, plumis awt 
nigris, hoc colore in aureo viridi transeunte ; pectore albo transversim fc 
mgr IS 
primariisque 
et viridi tinctis ; 
stramineis. 
extus albo marginatis ; caudd nigra, rectricibiis sex intermediis, purpiireo 
Jlavo ; pedib 
Foem. Capite, corpore supra, gutture pectoreque intense cinereis ; alis nigris obscure in medio 
albis 
caudd nigrd, rectricibus duabus 
Male 
Crown of the head, chest and all the upper surface dark golden green ; space between 
the bill and the eye, ear-coverts and throat black gradually passing into the golden green ; 
breast crossed by a band of white, beyond which all the 
surface is rich fiery 
scarlet ; wing black, the centre striated with fine wavy lines of white, and the primaries 
margined externally with the 
black, the six centre feathers tinged with 
purple and green, and the outer web of the lateral feather on each side faintly striated 
with white, as in the centre of the wing ; bill yellow ; feet straw yellow. 
Female. Head, all the upper surface, throat and breast dark grey ; wings and tail black, with 
a faint indication of the white striae on the centre of the wing and the outer webs of the 
feathers 
and under 
Total length, 12 inches ; bill, li ; wing, 6i ; tail, 6f ; tarsi. 
Le Couroucou d Amerique mdle a ventre rose, Le Vaill. Hist, des Couroucous, PI. 1. 
— a ventre rose dans son premier dge. Hist, des Couroucous, PI. 2. 
Couroucou a ventre rouge de Cayenne, Buff. PI. Enl. 452. male, 737- female. 
Trogon Curucui, Griff. An. Kingd. vol. vii. p. 474. 
melanurus, Swains. 
The present bird is one of the oldest known and commonest species of the genus, but so much confusion has 
existed respecting the South American members of the group that I have been induced to adopt the specific 
title of melanurus given to this species by Mr. Swainson. Both sexes are figured by Le Vaillant in his “ Histoire 
des Couroucous et des Barbus,” Pis. 1 and 2, and he states it to be a native of Cayenne. I have myself fre- 
quently observed it in collections from Demerara, and if I mistake not from Trinidad. Mr. Natterer also 
informs me that he once, and only once, observed it on the banks of the River Paraguay ; I am therefore led 
to consider that the interior of Demerara will constitute its natural habitat. 
By mistake the name of nigrkaudata has been inserted on the Plate instead of melanurus. 
