TROGON GIGAS, Vieill.
Giant Trog’on.
“ T. Suprà Jlavescente-viridis, nitens ; pectore, corpore subtils albis; rostro Jlavo; pedibus
Juscis.”
“ Head, throat, neck, upper surface, scapularies, rump and upper tail-coverts shining golden
green ; chest and under surface white ; tail golden green above, whitish grey beneath ;
centre of the wing finely rayed across with blackish green and white, the remainder of the
wing brownish black ; bill yellow ; feet brown.”
“ Le Grand Couroucou à ventre blanc de Java, ou le Couroucou géant, Le Vaill. Hist. Nat. des
Courouçous, Pl. 12.”
“ Le Couroucou géant, T. Gigas, Vieill. 2nd Edit. duNouv. Diet. d’Hist. Nat. tom. 8. p. 315.”
Vieill. Tab. Ency. et Méth. troisième partie, p. 1359-
T h i s species, like the T. roseigaster, is so extremely rare that I have never seen an example in any of the
numerous collections I have examined. M. Temminck informs me that he has a specimen as stated by Le
Vaillant, but owing to the Leyden collection being at present inaccessible, he could not favour me with the
loan of it ; I have therefore thought it best to copy Le Vaillant’s figure, with a slight alteration as to position,
and subjoin below all that he has said respecting it.
“ This handsome Indian species is not only new, but the largest of its genus. It is 18 inches long from
the top of the head to the extremity of the tail. Its body is twice|the size of the largest American species..
“ I have; only seen three specimens of this fine species; one in the collection of M. Carbintus at the Hague,
a second at,;Rotterdam in the possession of M. Gevers, and another in the large and splendid^collection of
my friend M. Temminck at Amsterdam. This individual, from which our figure was taken, was sent along
with many other birds from Java. I have seen a fourth specimen in the Paris Museum; but as it was in an
imperfect state, it has not as yet been placed in the gallery.”