I
MI ,
TROGON MEXICANUS , Swains.
Mexican Trogon.
(Young male, and female.)
In Mare Juniore rectrices nigro alboque fasciatce, prcesertim adpogonia externa; alarum maculce
subbrunnescentes ; remiges externe albo Jimbriatce.
Foem. Vértice, dorso, gutture, pectoreque brunneis in olivaceumsuperne in rufvm in f erne vergen-
tibus; torque pectorali obsoletá, cinereá ; ventris parte anticá brunnescenti-cinereá, posticá
crissoque coccineis; alis nigris brunneo parce maculatis; remigibus externé albo fimbriatis ;
rectricibus duabus intermediis castaneis nigro apiculatis, duabus proximis utrinque nigris,
reliquis albo nigroque fasciatis.
Rostrum in foeminá flavum brunneo nebulosum.
In the Male, the middle age may be distinguished from the adult by the grey freckles on the
wings being rather stronger and more inclined to brown on the secondaries; by the
extreme outer edge of the primaries being white; and by the tail being regularly barred
with black and white, which character is most conspicuous on the outer edges.
Remale. The top of the head, throat, chest, and back dark brown, inclining to olive on the
upper surface and to rufous on the chest; across the chest an obscure band of light g re y ;
the upper part of the belly brownish grey, the lower part and vent scarlet; wings black,
slightly freckled with brown on the outer edges of the secondaries and shoulders; the
outer edges of the primaries fringed with white; two middle tail-feathers chestnut brown
tipped with black, the two next on each side wholly black; the remainder strongly
barred with black and white for nearly their whole len g th ; bill yellow clouded with
brown.
Trogon Mexicanus. Swains., Phil. Mag. June 1827, and Zool. 111., 2nd Ser., pi. 82. young
male, pi. 107- female.
I n the description which accompanies the preceding Plate I have stated my reasons for considering that and
the present bird as constituting one and the same species. In the Plate accompanying this description I have
given in illustration of this opinion a figure of a male bird killed in a youthful state; when, as may be readily
perceived, it had nearly accomplished the change in the plumage of the body, while one single feather alone
has appeared in the tail: this new feather possesses all the marks of maturity, and may be easily distinguished
from the rest by its being entirely free from the bars of black and white. The specimen from which this
drawing has been taken is in the possession of John Taylor, Esq., who received it with several others from
Mexico.
The Trogon Mexicanus was, I believe, first described by Mr. Swainson in the Philosophical Transactions
for June 1827; since that period he has figured the young male and the female in the Second Series of his
Zoological Illustrations (pis. 82 and 107). While travelling on the Continent I collected several specimens
of this bird, and ascertained, by means of the labels attached, that it is identical with the Trogon glocitans of
Professor Lichtenstein. I believe that the name of Mexicanus claims priority; and if so, glocitans must of
course give place to it : but on this point I cannot speak with certainty.