HARPACTES p UVAUCELI.
Duvaucel’s Trogon,

Trogon Duvaucelii, Temm. Pl. oul
gen i. : Col. 291. Gould, Mon. of Trogons, pl. 32.
rutuus, Viel. 2nde édit. du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. y
p. 1358.—LeVaill. Hist. Nat. des Courouc., pl. 14 .
—— fasciatus, var. 8, Lath. Gen. Hist. of Birds, vol. iii. Deze
—— cimmamomeus, Temm. Mon. of Trog. in Pl. Col .
e ( pe 8) RGSS Gould, Mon. of Trogons, List of Plates, sp. 32.
arpactes Duvaucelit, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii, Dass

fneren es rutilus, Gray, List of Spec. of Birds in Coll. Brit. Mus., p. 44.—Gray and Mitch. Gen. of Birds, vol. i.

p. 71, Harpactes, sp. 5.—Blyth, Cat. of Birds in Mus. Asiat. Soc. Calcutta, p. 80.—Bonap. Consp.

ae p. 150, Harpactes, sp. 1.— Horsf. and Moore, Cat. of Birds in Mus. East Ind. Comp., vol. ii.

———— Duwauceli, Gould, Mon. of Trogons, 2nd edit. pl.
Ramguba of the Natives of Malacca.

Hie persis line Ency. Méth. Orn., part iii.

 

By most ornithologists the present species is considered identical with the bird figured by LeVaillant in his

“Histoire Naturelle des Couroucous” under the name of Trogon rutilus; but as that figure does not
agree with any member of the family, and must have been coloured after the artist’s fancy, I consider
M. Temminck perfectly justified in giving a new specific name to the bird here represented. Vieillot’s
description is equally as faulty as LeVaillant’s figure: for he commences his description by stating that the
head of the bird is of a sombre green; the back, scapularies, rump, and upper tail-coverts of a lively red,
and the six middle tail-feathers of the same hue ;—whereas the head is jet-black, the back and scapularies
of a light cinnamon-brown, the upper tail-coverts fine scarlet, and the two middle tail-feathers only of a
cinnamon-brown. LeVaillant’s artist doubtless had this or some nearly allied species in view; but the
colouring could not have been copied from a real specimen ; and Vieillot’s description was probably taken
from the defective drawing. Not wishing to increase the specific names of the family, I have figured in the
following Plate a species which I believe to be distinct from the bird under consideration ; and as it has a

uniformly-coloured back, and more nearly approaches to LeVaillant’s figure, I have retained the name of

rutilus for it, trusting that ornithologists will in future adopt this view of the subject. Had I given a new
name, I might have been excused, and even commended for so doing.

For brilliancy of colouring nothing can surpass the tints that adorn the plumage of this little Trogon,
which, unlike every other species of the family that has come under my notice, has the rump and lower
portion of the back of a scarlet colour, vying in every respect with the rich and fiery hue of the breast.
The admiration with which these birds must be viewed even when seen in preserved collections will enable
us to form some idea of their still greater beauty in a state of nature, when darting meteor-ike through the
dark recesses of the dense and gloomy parts of the forests; when so seen, they cannot fail to call forth
the admiration and increase the enthusiasm of the naturalist who has ventured to seek their haunts in those
primitive districts.

I believe the true habitat of the present species, which is

perhaps the most highly and beautifully coloured
o which it belongs, is Sumatra and Borneo, w hile the other (rw¢ilus) is fror

member of the group of birds t
Malasia.

The sexes of the 7. Duvauceli present the usual
as may be clearly perceived by consulting the above d
accompanying Plate, where both are figured of the natural size. ee

The male has the head and throat jet-black ; breast, under surface, rump, anc upper te

oe and secondaries crossed by numerous

ish ci n-brown 3 wing coverts

finest scarlet ; back reddish cinnamon-brown ; wings black, the rt eee

I ir : vebs wi ‘ ‘ ’
gined at the base of their external webs ;

the two next on each side blackish brown ; the three outer ones on
tipped with white; bill, gape, and a naked space over the

difference in the less brilliant colouring of the female,

escription, or more readily by glancing at the

fine lines of white ; primaries mar
dark cinnamon-brown, tipped with black ;
each side blackish brown at the base, and largely

; i -eddi ; ; blue.
eye ultramarine blue; irides reddish brown; feet won: fetoainps tee
The female has the head dark brown ; back dark cinnamon-brown, bec g lig

é Tere arts secondaries alternately barred
i Fee | vart of the back and upper tail-coverts ; wing-coverts and ce i : j ne
scarlet on the lower pa a ; ‘th greyish white; under surfac
: La eee cternally with grey 5
; ‘ ll black, margined ex
with ochreous and black; primaries du Z , f the abdomen and under
‘no lighter and washed with scarlet on the lower part 0 €
orange-brown, becoming lighter ;

i i : -oughout their enti
tail-coverts ; two centre tail-feathers light cinnamon-brown throug

d washed with

re length ; the remainder as

in the male.

L

nay I
rm Fi mei