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Show 1878.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. 527 the present species with a doubtl. Desmarest also published a name (1. ci) for the bird depicted on Temminck's plate, viz. forsteri. This, for the same reason which has placed Temminck's name on one side, will also have to go among the list of doubtful synonyms. W e now come to Wagler, * Isis,' 1829, who first diagnosed as distinct both species, from Otaheite and Tonga-Tabou respectively, and gave names to each, and properly portrayed their distinctive characters. To the Tonga bird with the purple crown he applied the term purpurata, which name will take precedence; and the Otaheite species he called oopa. Unfortunately he did not appear to be cognizant of the name taitensis previously given to this species by Lesson, Voy. Coq. torn. i. text, p. 297 (1826); and therefore oopa will of course become a synonym of Lesson's term. Mr. Layard speaks of this species under the name of porphyraceus, Forst., as not uncommon in the Friendly Islands. In its habits it resembles the other species of this genus, and is called by the natives " Kullu kullu." The female, when in full breeding-dress, resembles the male, but is not so brightly coloured on the abdomen, the male at this season having the black abdominal patch shading away into brilliant purple. Adult. Front and top of head, extending in a curved line behind the eyes, rich purple, edged with light yellow. Rest of head, neck, upper part of back, throat, and breast pale ashy green. Flanks and abdomen grass-green, with a dark purple spot in the centre of abdomen. Crissum and under tail-coverts bright yellow, tinged with orange on the tips of the coverts. Back and upper tail-coverts dark yellowish green. Wings the same colour, with the inner secondaries and some of the scapulars deep bluish green near their tips. Primaries black on their inner webs, green on their outer, and, together with the secondaries, margined with yellow; first primary abruptly attenuated and very narrow at the end. Rectrices bright green on their outer webs, brownish black on their inner, with a terminal grey or ash-coloured band, this margined with yellow. Under surface smoke-colour, terminal portion white. Bill black, tip flesh-colour. Feet brownish. Total length 8f inches ; wing 5|; tail 3|; bill, culmen f. Young. Resembles the adult, except that the top of the head is ashy like the breast, with only a tinge of purple on the forehead. The back of the neck is pale green, instead of ash-colour; and the plumage of the upper part, tail, and wings is bronzy. 5. PTILOPUS APICALIS. Lamprotreron apicalis, Bon. Compt. Rend. vol. xxxix. p. 877 (1854). Ptilinopus apicalis, Bon. Consp. Gen. Av. vol. ii. (1857) p. 23 ; Finsch & Hartl. Centralpolyn. (1867) p. 121. Ptilonopus apicalis, Reich. Tauben, p. 97. Hab. Samoa, Vavao (Bonaparte). This species, described by Bonaparte (/. c), while resembling in 1 See further remarks upon this plate 35 in the article on Pt. coralensis. |
