TROGON MELANURUS, Swains. 
Black-tailed Trog*on. 
Mas. Trog. vertice, pectore siimmo corporeque supra, intense, aureo-viridibus ; loro, plumis auri- 
cidaribus, gulaque nigris, hoc colore in aureo viridi transeunte ; pectore albo transversimfas- 
cicito; corpore subtus pidcherrime coccineo ; alis nigris, in medio lineis delicatis albis striatis, 
primariisque extus cdbo marginatis; caudd nigra, rectricibus sex intermediis, purpureo 
et viridi tinctis; duabus externis extus lineis obscuris albis striatis ; rostro Jlavo ; pedibus 
stramineis. 
Foem. Capite, corpore supra, gutture pectoreque intense cinereis; alis nigris obscure in medio striis 
albis notatis; caudd nigra, rectricibus duabus externis extus, crissoque coccineis. 
Male. Crown of the head, chest and all the upper surface dark golden green ; space between 
the hill 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 under surface is rich fiery 
scarlet ; wing black, the centre striated with fine wavy lines of white, and the primaries 
margined externally with the same colour; tail 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 
lateral tail-feathers; vent and under tail-coverts scarlet. 
Total length, 12 inches ; bill, 11; wing, 6f ; tail, 6f ; tarsi, 1. 
Le Gouroucou clAmerique male a ventre rose, Le Vaill. Hist, des Couroucous, PI. 1. 
- a ventre rose dans son premier age, 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 nigricaudata has been inserted on the Plate instead of melanurus. 
