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TROGON AURANTIUS, Spix. 
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Orang’e-breasted Trog’on. 
Mas. Trog. vertice, pectoreque violaceo-cceruleis nitore viridi, gutture nigrescenti ; dorso et 
uropygio intense viridibus, hoc ccerulescenti ; alls nigris, in medio lineis delicatis cinereis 
undatim striatis ; primariis albo extus marginatis lateribus cinereis ; abdomine medio crisso- 
que splendide aurantiacis ; rectricibus caudce diiabus intermediis intense vii'idibus ; utrisque 
duabiis proximis nigrescenti-fuscis extus viridi lavatis, his atque illis ad apicem albis ; rectri- 
cibus tribus externis nigrescenti-fuscis per dimidium basale, dimidio apicali albo ; rostro 
livide corneo ; pedibus plumbeis. 
Foem. Capite, corpore supra, gutture, pectore, lateribusque nigrescenti-cinereis ; caudd nigrescenti- 
cinered, rectricibus intermediis ad apicem nigerrimis, tribus externis albo extus marginatis, 
apicibusque albis ; aid medid albo striatd ; abdomine medio, crissoque aurantiacis ; rostro 
obscure corneo, ad apicem pallidiore ; pedibus plumbeis. 
Male. Crown of the head and chest violet blue, with green reflections, passing into brownish 
black on the throat ; back and rump rich dark green inclining to blue on the latter; wings 
black, with the centre very finely striated with greyish white, and the primaries margined 
on the outer edges with white ; flanks grey ; centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts 
rich orange yellow ; two centre tail-feathers rich green ; the two next on each side blackish 
brown, tinged with green on their outer webs, and all six tipped with black ; the three 
lateral feathers on each side blackish brown at the base, and pure white for the remainder 
of their length ; bill blueish horn-colour ; feet lead colour. 
Female. Head, all the upper surface, throat, chest, flanks and tail dark blackish grey, the 
middle feathers of the latter tipped with jet black, and the three lateral ones on each side 
margined on their external webs, and tipped with white ; centre of the wing striated with 
white ; centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts orange yellow ; bill dark horn colour, 
becoming lighter at the point ; feet lead colour. 
Total length, lOi inches ; bill, 1 ; wing, 5 ; tail, 6 ; tarsi, i. 
Trogon aurantius, Spix, Av. Sp. Nov., tom. i. p. 47. tab. xxxvi. 
I HAVE but little hesitation in referring the present beautiful species to the Trogon aurantius of Spix, and 
this opinion coincides with that of my friend Mr. John Natterer, who when in London examined my speci- 
mens, and informed me that it was not uncommon in the woods near Rio de Janeiro : I have myself received 
it from various parts of the Brazils, which country would appear to constitute its natural habitat. Much 
difference exists in the colour of the upper surface of different specimens, particularly in the head and throat ; 
some having those parts of a rich violet purple, while others have the same parts of a rich metallic green ; 
but as I find no difference in their relative admeasurements, I am led to regard them as merely varieties of the 
same species. The plumage of the young male resembles that of the female, but the central tail-feathers are 
at all times glossed with green on the upper surface : they are however apt to puzzle the ornithologist unless 
he has made himself acquainted with the peculiar changes of the tribe, from the circumstance of the feathers 
of the body frequently undergoing a change before those of the wings and tail. I have a specimen in my col- 
lection, in which an almost perfect change has taken place in the plumage of the body, its tint being nearly 
as rich as that of the adult : this specimen is also rendered more remarkable by the centre of the wing having 
assumed the fine and minute markings of maturity, while the tail resembles that of the female, in which the 
white only occupies the outer webs and extreme tips of three lateral feathers. 
Habitat. Brazils. 
The Plate represents a male and female of the natural size. 
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