Alfred Newton

“ The extreme development of the type in the New World just noticed also furnishes another hint. While in some of the American trogons (Pharomacrus, for instance) the plumage of the females is not very much less beautiful than that of the males, there are others in which the hen birds retain what may be fairly deemed a more ancient livery, while the cocks flaunt in brilliant attire. Now the plumage of both sexes in all but one [4] of the Asiatic trogons, Harpactes, resembles rather that of the young and of the females of the American species which are modestly clothed. ”

“ At the same time the most distinctive features of the whole group, which are easily taken in at a glance, but are difficult to express briefly in words, are equally possessed by both branches of the family, showing that they were in all likelihood—for the possibility that the peculiarities may have been evolved apart is not to be overlooked—reached before the geographical sundering of these branches (whereby they are now placed on both sides of the globe) was effected. ”

“ Their feet are weak and of a unique structure, the second toe, which in most birds is the inner anterior one, being reverted, and thus the trogons stand alone, since in all other birds that have two toes before and two behind it is the outer toe that is turned backward. The plumage is very remarkable and characteristic. There is not a species which has not beauty beyond most birds, and the glory of the group culminates in the quetzal (q.v.) ”