Mrmm'JrffrKJfa2ar&Jb cr/Stmc cy Gmdir. &tnMffyGJ&Zbn<BuU&.
TROGON AMB IGUUS .
Doubtful Trogen.
S p e c i f i c C h a r a c t e r .
Trog; facie, capite, guttureque nigris ;pectore, cervice, dorso, tectricibusque caudce superioribm
viridibus; alts brunnescenti-nigris, in medio cinereis lineis gracilibus fexuosis nigris trans-
versim notatis; remigibus externe albo fmbriatis; rectricibus duabus intermediis proxima-
nvmque duarum pogoniis extemis cupreo-viridibus, hartm pogoniis internis omniumque
apicibus nigris, reliquis ad basin nigris, ad apicem albis, in medio albis maculis parvis
numerosis sparsis nigris.
Rostrum flavum: tarsi brunnei.
Bill bright yellow : face, lop *f the head, aod throat black; chest, back of the neck, back, and
uwfer faibcoverts green ; hrovvt-'isii black, the primaries having their outer edges
fringed with white; secondaries and centra grey, finely marked with zigzag transverse
lines of black; two middle tail-feathers green with bronzy reflections; the two next green
with bronzy reflections on their outer edges only; the inner webs black; the three outer
ones on each side black at their base and white at the tip, the middle portion being
minutely dotted with black on a white ground; feet brown. _
Total length about 12 inches; wing, 5f to 5 i ; tail, 7t.
Trogon ambiguus. Gould, Proceedings of Zool. Soc., Part III.
T h o s e who have had opportunities for studying nature are well aware how slight occasionally are the shades
of difference between closely-allied species: it might be objected that these differences may be merely casual,
or those of variety only; but when we find that they constantly obtain in two birds brought from two very
distinct countries, and that by attending to their markings we should he able to assign to each its peculiar
locality, the objection falls to the ground : it is true that the same species may differ in the intensity of its
colouring from the influence of temperature, att, and food, but it will seldom be found to vary in the character
of its permanent markings.
It is upon these views that 1 have ventured to separate this bird from the Trogon elegans, to which it so'
closely assimilates that it requires an experienced eye to note the points of difference; these points consist in
the obscure and pale, but finely-dotted appearance of the outer tail-feathers of Trog. ambiguus, in opposition
to the strong and well-defined black bars on the same part in Trog. elegans; while at the same time the
centre of the wing » much more finely and minutely barred in the former than in the latter. Had I seen only
a single individual o f each of these birds, I might have been in doubt ©u the subject; but my comparisons
having been m ade upon individuals of all ages, 1 feel but little hesitation in assigning to the present bird, at
least provisionally, the rank of a distinct specie*.
The localities in which these two birds appear to be indigenous are distinctly separated from each other;
all the examples I have seen of Trogon ambiguus baring been exclusively received from the northern states
of Mexico, while the Trogon elegans is strictly limbed tt? the southern.
The Plate represents an adult rnak