TROGON MELANOPTERUS, Sw ans. Black-winged Trogon. 1 SPECIFIC CHaRactTER. Mas. Trog. capite supra guttureque vi s og. capite supra guttureque violaceo purpureis ; ; auribus oulaig Ue neorrs: lors z oN Ey § g NOT ; dorso wuropy- groque metallice viridibus ; caudce - PI a, , tectricibus supervoribus purpureis ; rectricibus duabus in- s viridibus purpureo tinctis, proximis ts utri 2 'S vIra oe L 7 — » proxumis duabus ut) enque pogonis, externis viridescenti- purpurers enternes nioris, his omnibus nior ee WeTER canes OTIS, ie S ngro apiculatis, ceteris ad basin neoris ad apicem albis ; ales negris ; ventre tectricibusque caudce enferioribus aurantiaco-flavis Trides saturaté brunnez : rostr culescenti-ciner ; | ru es strum coerulescenti-cinereum, apicem versus subflavescens ; pedes coerulescenti-cinerei. 1 fay, XX iN . Foeem. Supra et ad pectus saturate plumbeo-cinereus ; : 7 ae KS brunnescenti-nigris, secundariis scapu- lartbusque albo transversim strigatis ; >, | 2 rectricibus brunnescenti-nigris, extimarum utringue trium apicibus fasciaque pogonit interni albis. Rostrum quam in mare saturatits. Male. Bill bluish grey inclining to yellow at the tip; crown of the head and chest rich violet purple, throat and ear-coverts black; back and rump rich metallic green; upper tail- coverts purple; two middle tail-feathers green with a tinge of purple, two next on each side black on the inner web, and greenish purple on the outer, the whole six tipped with black; the three outer feathers on each side black at their base and white at their tips; wings black; abdomen and under tail-coverts rich orange yellow; feet bluish grey; irides dark brown. | Female. Bill as in the male but darker; head, chest, and all the upper surface deep leaden grey; wings brownish black; secondaries and scapularies transversely striated with fine lines of white; abdomen and under tail-coverts orange ; six middle tail-feathers brownish black, the three outer on each side the same, but tipped with white and having bars of the same colour on their inner webs. Total length, 103 to 113 inches; bell, 1s; wing, 5: to 52; tail, 62; tarst, +. Trogon violaceus, viridis, curucur, Auct. Couroucou de la Guiane. Buff. Pl. Enl. 765? young male. - Cayenne. Ibid. 766? female. A.ruoucn I myself entertain no doubt that the Zrog. violaceus, Trog. viridis, aud Trog. curucui of different authors all refer to this bird, still the descriptions are so imperfect as to defy all attempts to assign it with any degree of certainty to either of them ; and in consequence of this intolerable confusion I am induced to adopt Mr. Swainson’s name of melanopterus for this common and well-known species. The Trogon melanopterus appears to have a more extensive range than most other species, as it is dispersed, although but sparingly, through a great portion of the Braz ; eas I would remark, however, that the bird found in the islands is somewhat more diminutive e from the continent, yet in every other particular they so strikingly accord as, ils, and several of the West India Islands adjacent to the continent : in all its proportions than thos in my opinion, to render their separation unnecessary. This species gives a preference to dense and almost 1m | a The male may be distinguished from all others by its large size penetrable forests, and like the other members of its race is solitary and unsocial in its habits. and by the rich violet colour of its head and chest. : ae he male are resplendent green and violet. ‘The young male during the first quently observed that while undergoing the changes from youth to f the mature male with that of the female, assuming the rich wed either the whole or any portion of the barred tail- g } The female is more sombre in her colouring, those parts being of a dusky grey which in t year resembles the female ; and I have fre he: a Bc ses ere maturity, it exhibits a blending of the colour! g colouring of the head and back, without having exchar ‘| ion amor feathers ; hence, no doubt, has arisen the cone i eer ainted with its immature changes. | nis bird which M. Natterer examined, were found the remains of ig the older authors with respect to this bird, in consequence of their not being acqu In the stomachs of some specimens of tl fruit, and an insect nearly allied to Mantis.