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Show 542 MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. [May 7, Kurukuru taitensis, Des Murs & Prev. Voy. Ve'nus, Zool. (1855) p. 251. Ptilonopus purpuratus, Gray, List B. Brit. Mus. (1856) p. 4 (partim); id. List B. Trop. Isl. (1859) p. 35 (partim); Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1877, p. 741. Kurutreron oopa, Bon. Compt. Rend. (1854) torn, xxxix. p. 878 ; id. Iconogr. Pig. (1857) (text); id. Consp. Av. vol. ii.p. 26 ; Reich. Taub. p. 92/ pl. 245 b. figs. 3527-28. Ptilinopus purpuratus, Cass. U.S. Expl. Exped. (1858) Ornith. pl. xxx. p. 269; Finsch & Hartl. Faun. Centralpolyn. (1867) p. 122; Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1877, p. 741. Ptilopus purpuratus, Schleg. Mus. Pays-B. 1873, p. 15, Columbce. Hab. Otaheiti. Peale says this species utters a coo-coo-coo slowly and at regular intervals. It is not as sprightly as the Coral-Island Dove, and delights to sit on some dead branch in the shady recesses of the woods. In m y article on Pt. purpuratus I have given m y reasons for considering that this species should not bear that name. The fact that Latham states that the bird he describes came from Otaheite, which is the chief reason why his name of purpuratus was assigned to this species, loses entirely its value and force when it is seen that no bird of the genus Ptilopus inhabits Otaheite that answers to his description. Having specimens from both the Society Islands and Tonga in his possession, and having confused them in his description, he probably did not particularly regard his specimen or compare it with his description when he stated it to have come from Otaheite. By no stretch of the imagination can the present species be deemed to have a "purple crown." It is ashy grey with a lilac tinge, but in no way does it approach any shade of purple. A series of specimens now before m e from the Paris-Museum collection clearly substantiates this. Adult. Top of head ash-grey with a tinge of lilac. Underparts light ash-green, darkest on the abdomen. Back of neck cinereous, washed with green. Upper parts bright green. Wings bright green ; first primary gradually narrowed to tip ; the inner webs of secondaries and primaries black, outer webs bright green, those of the secondaries edged with yellow. Centre of abdomen and crissum pale yellow, becoming bright yellow on the under tail-coverts. The tail has the rectrices bright green on the outer webs, black on the inner, and a subterminal interrupted greyish bar, extending only over the inner webs. Feet violet; eyes orange; bill green at base, tip yellow. Feet brown. Total length 9 inches, wing 5f, tail 3§, culmen \. 21. PTILOPUS SUPERBUS. Columba superba, Temm. Pig. & Gall. torn. i. p. 277 (1813); Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. xi. pt. 1, p. 64 (1819) ; Desm. Diet. Sc. Nat. vol. xl. (1826) p. 337; Temm. & Knip, vol. i. pl. 33. Columba cyanovirens, Less. Voy. Coq. pl. xiii. fig. 1 (1824) ; Desm. Diet. Sc. Nat. vol. xl. (1826) p. 343 ; Less. Trait. Ornith. (1831) p. 471 ; Knip & Prev. Pig. vol. ii. pl. 8, $ . |