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Show 512 MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. [May 7, any reasons (after a careful examination of the species separated generically hy him) for accepting his divisions. The species named by Schlegel Pt. insolitus has been made the type of a genus, CEdirhinus, by Cabanis and Reichenow. The same peculiarity exhibited by this bird-a bony protuberance upon the base of the culmen-is also found in certain members of the genus Carpophaga ; and I see no more reason for separating Pt. insolitus from the other members of this genus than exists for placing these Carpophagee in a new generic division. The term Megaloprepia, instituted by Reichenbach for certain birds of this group, was so oddly selected, at least in one instance (Pt. perlatus) that a doubt arises in my mind if the author had ever had an opportunity of examining specimens. No characters were given by him which were not also to be found in other species of Ptilopus; and although the term has been employed by some authors, it seems to m e to be entirely unnecessary ; for it is impossible to designate in a large series of Ptilopi where the genus (?) should commence, as the species graduate into one another from the smallest to the largest. Prof. Garrod, in the 'Proceedings' of this Society for 1874, in his paper on the "Anatomy of the Columbae," states that the members of the genus Ptilopus possess a form of gizzard such as is not found in any other bird, and gives figures exhibiting its peculiarities as compared with Treron. If this is ascertained to be a constant formation in all the species of Ptilopus, it may well be deemed of sufficient importance to constitute a generic character ; but, unfortunately, as yet, it cannot be said to be proven ; for out of the seventy-one species considered in this memoir as belonging to Ptilopus, Prof. Garrod has only been able to dissect three, a number too insignificant for it to be decided that all the members of the genus have the same formation. The Carpophagee do not possess a similar gizzard ; yet certain species of Ptilopus, viz. Pt. magnificus with its races assimilis and puella, and Pt. gularis, in their outward form resemble certain species of Carpophaga ; and it is possible that in some of these at least a modified form of gizzard may be found to exist. It will be interesting to learn if such be the case, or if really the species of Ptilopus are separated from all other Pigeons by an abrupt alteration in the gizzard's shape, one not approached by that of any other bird. A large number of species must be first examined before this can be definitively ascertained. The following are the principal generic terms which have been proposed for these birds. Type. (1825) Ptilonopus, err. Swains. Zool. Journ. vol. i. p. 473 Pt. regince. (1841) Ptilopus, corr. Strickl. Ann. Nat. Hist. vii. p. 36. (1854) Leucotreron, Bon. Compt. Eend. vol. xxxix. p. 876 Pt. cinctus. (1854) Cyanotreron, Bon. torn. cit. p. 878 Pt. monachus. (1854) Bhamphiculus, Bon. ibid Pt. occipitalis. (1854) Omeotreron, Bon. ibid Pt. occipitalis. (1854) Kurutreron, Bon. ibid Pt. purpuratus. (1854) Chryscena, Bon. ibid Pt. luteovirens. (1854) TJiouarsitreron, Bon. torn. cit. p. 876 Pt.dupctit-thoiiarsii. (1854) Lamprotreron, Bon. ibid Pt. superba. |