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Show 1878.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. 529 some period of its existence. It may possibly have been purchased by Mauge at Timor. In the coppery-red hue of the wings, as well as the tail, it answers well to the description given by Peale (I. ci) of his P. coralensis ; and I have therefore assigned it to that species. The back of the type is not " viridissimum immaculatum," as described by Bonaparte, but has very conspicuous violet spots on the scapulars. I have given among the synonyms of this species the Columba purpurata, var., figured by Madame Knip on plate 35 of the work on Pigeons. Temminck states that there are two specimens in the Paris Museum, brought by Capt. Baudin, which resemble the type of his plate 35. I find that the type of Bonaparte's Pt. viridissimus is marked as follows :-"Ptilopus viridissimus, Bp. ex Temm. tab. 35, nee 34." This unquestionably refers to the work of Temminck and Knip; but whether it is also intended to indicate that the example was the original of Madame Knip's plate I am unable to ascertain. I deem it very probable, however, that it is the original from which the drawing was made. In that case this bird would bear the name of porphyraceus, Temm. Trans. Linn. Soc. 1822, p. 130, which antedates coralensis, Peale. Mr. Peale states that this Dove attracted his attention by its plaintive call, resembling hoot-hoot-hoot, uttered in rapid succession. Although not wild, it was very difficult to see them, as their plumage accorded so well with the leaves. Specimens were subsequently obtained on the low coral islets of the Paumotu group, but nowhere else. They always kept in the most wooded and secluded places. Male. " Vertex having a very pale rubiaceous spot, which does not reach to the base of the bill; bill yellow ; irides red; head, neck, and breast ashy, the feathers having a very pale greenish-yellow band near their tips, those on the breast bifurcate; back and rump green, inclining to olive; vent, wings, and tail, when viewed in a positive light, bright copper-colour, barred with golden green; underparts of the wing and tail cinereous ; quill-shafts brown ; tail-shafts white beneath and black on the upper surface; tail even, the inner web having a dark bar near the tip ; tertiary feathers edged with yellow ; primaries and secondaries having a very narrow margin of white ; feathers on the leg cinereous. Total length 9 inches; tail 3T l 0, extent of wings 17, bill \, tarsus 1."-Peale (I. ci). 7. PTILOPUS CHALCURUS. Ptilonopus chalcurus, Gray, List Birds Trop. Isl. Brit. Mus. (1859) p. 37. Ptilinopus chalcurus, Finsch & Hartl. Faun. Centralpolyn (1867), p. 131. Hab. Harvey Islands, Cook's Archipelago (Gray). The type of this species (?) is in the British Museum, where I have had an opportunity of examining it. The colour of the forehead is amethyst, a lighter hue than in Pt. viridissimus, Bon.; but in their coppery tints the two birds greatly resemble each other. Gray separated this Harvey-Island bird from Pt. coralensis, Peale, on account of the light-coloured front and crown. Without the |
