TROGON ROSBIGASTER, Vieill.
Rosy-vented Trog'on.
“ T. supra viridi-aureus ; gulâ, jugulo, pectoreque griseo-viridibus ; corpore subtiis rosaceo ; rec-
tricibus intermediis cceruleis ; lateribus extùs et apice albis ; rostro pedibusque Jlavis.”
“ Crown of the head, neck, cheeks, mantle and upper tail-coverts brilliant aqua-marine green ;
throat, forepart of the neck and chest pearly grey, changing into aqua-marine green;
under surface rosy red ; middle tail-feathers changeable bluish green ; lateral feathers
white on their exterior webs and tips ; wing-coverts finely rayed with greenish black and
white ; quills alternately barred with black and white ; bill and feet yellow.”
“ Couroucou à ventre rouge de Saint Dominique, Buff., Hist. Nat. desOis.
“ Le Couroucou à caleçon rouge, ou Le Couroucou Damoiseau, Le Vaill., Hist Nat. des Courou-
cous, pl. 13.”
Le Couroucou Damoiseau, T. roseigaster, Vieill., Tab. Ency. et Méth., troisième partie, p. 1359.
T h is species is so extremely rare that I have never been able to see a specimen in any collection, nor to learn
anything respecting it ; but as I am perfectly satisfied of its being a good species, rather than omit it I have
copied the figure published by Le Vaillant in his Hist. Nat. des Couroucous ; and also the short account he
has there given of it.
“ This species comes from St. Domingo, and is alluded to by Buffon, who seems to have considered it a
mere local variety of the Couroucou à ventre rouge de la Guyane. But I think that a comparison of our
figure of this species with those of the species alluded to in its adult, as well as its young state, will convince
any one of Buffon’s mistake in this respect.
“ I am not aware whether the individual which forms part of my collection be male or female ; I know,
however, for certain that it is an adult. It is surprising that M. le Chevalier Lefebvre Deshayes, who has
given so long an account of this species, should have said nothing upon the differences of the sexes,—a kind
of information in my opinion which would have been more instructive than what he tells us, when he says,
that this bird with its beak reduces to powder sound wood when it cannot find worm-eaten wood to deposit
its eggs in, which certainly seems like an impossibility. This species is very rare in collections, for I
have only seen, in addition to the specimen in my own collection, two others in the collections of the late
Abbé Aubry and Dr. Mauduit. It has never been in the collection of the Paris Museum, although Buffon is
quite correct in saying that he received a figure and description of it.”
In the “ Tableau Encyclopédique,” above-quoted, M. Vieillot states that it is found in Mexico, but from my
own knowledge of the group I am of opinion that he is mistaken on this point, and that he has confounded
it with a species inhabiting that country. In its affinities it is most nearly allied to the Trog. temnurus ;
the marking of the wing and other particulars being very similar in both species.
At Saint Domingo several names are applied to it ; in some of the provinces it is called Caleçon rouge, in
others Dame, or Demoiselle Anglaise ; and also Pie de Montagnes, from its continually residing among the
mountains.