PHAROMACRUS MOCINNO.

Quezal.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER,

Trog. eristatus ; tectricibus caude superioribus longissimis tripedalibus; supra et ad guttur
pectusque splendide aureo-viridis ; ventre crissoque coccineis; rectricibus sex intermediis
nigris, reliquis albis ad basin tantummodo nigris.

Foem. vel Junior. Capite, gutture pectoreque obscure viridibus; dorso viridi; ventre cineras-
centi-brunneo ; crisso coccineo ; capite subcristato ; tectricibus caude superioribus brevibus ;
rectricibus externis albis nigro fasciatis.

Rostrum flavum, in junioribus (?) nigrum; tars? brunnei.

Beak gamboge yellow ; head covered with long filamentous plumes forming a rounded crest ;
from the shoulders spring a number of lance-shaped feathers, which hang gracefully over
the wings ; from the rump are thrown off several pairs of narrow flowing plumes, the
longest of which, in fine adults, measure from three feet to three feet four inches; the
others gradually diminishing in length towards the rump, where they again assume the
form of the feathers of the back; these plumes, together with the whole of the upper
surface, throat, and chest, are of a most resplendent golden green ;_ the breast, belly, and
vent are of arich crimson scarlet; the middle feathers of the tail black ; the six outer ones
white for nearly the whole length, their bases being black ; feet brown.

Total length, from the bill to the end of the tail, 12 to 14 inches; wing 8 to 9; tail 8 to 9;
tarsi 1 ; length of longest plume about 3 feet.

The female or young of the year have only rudiments of the long plumes, seldom reaching
more than an inch beyond the tip of the tail; the feathers of the crest are more rounded
and not filamentous ; the feathers of the shoulders but slightly lanceolate ; the outer tail-
feathers white barred with black, the centre ones black ; the whole of the chest, throat,
and head obscure green, the remainder of the upper surface bright green ; the breast and
belly greyish brown ; vent fine scarlet ; bill black.

Trogon pavoninus. Temm. Pl. Col. 372 (not of Spix).
Pharomacrus mocinno. la Llave, Registr. Trim. i. p. 48 (1831).
Trogon resplendens. Gould, P. Z. S. 1835, p. 29.

——— paradiseus. - Bp. P.Z. 8. 1837, p. 101 (1826, ubi®).
Calurus resplendens. Gould, Mon. Trog. ed. 1.

Pharomacrus paradiseus. Saly. Ibis, 1861, p. 138.

 

Ir is scarcely possible for the imagination to conceive any thing more rich and gorgeous than the golden-green
colour which adorns the principal part of the plumage of this splendid bird, or more elegant and graceful
than the flowing plumes which sweep pendent from the lower part of the back, forming a long train of metallic
brillaney. Nature appears to have ordained that birds possessing unusual brilliancy of plumage should be
inhabitants of retired and obscure situations ; and in strict conformity with this law the Quezal, by far the
most beautiful of its tribe, is to be found in the most dense and gloomy forests, remote from the haunts of
civilized man, which may, perbaps, account for its being so little known to Europeans until within the last
few years; for although the long plumes were used to adorn the head-dresses of the ancient Mexicans, and
at a later period were transmitted by the Spaniards from time to time to Europe, yet it is only very recently
that we have become acquainted with the entire bird. I believe the first perfect example was received by

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