OCR Text |
Show 1878.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. 561 This bird, separated from the Pt. viridis by Schlegel, is entitled to be considered a distinct species. With a large series of examples before me, mainly brought by M. Raffray, the difference of the colour on the breast is very perceptible, being very much brighter and purer than the deep purple of Pt. viridis. In other respects the two species closely resemble each other. The term musschenbrceckii, being only a M S . name of von Rosenberg's, without any description of the bird given, must become a synonym. Adult. Forehead and chin dark grey ; sides of face grey, washed with green. Breast and lower part of throat bright reddish purple, much lighter than the similar spot in Pt. viridis. General plumage yellowish green, slightly bronzed in certain lights. Centre of abdomen and under tail-coverts pale yellow; the latter striped with dark green. Across the wing, near the shoulders, a broad band of pale grey. Some of the innermost secondaries with a spot of light grey near their tips ; first primary not narrowed. Tail yellowish green, each feather with a subterminal grey spot on the inner web. Bill yellow, base red. Iris red; feet red. Total length 8 inches, wing 4|, tail 3, culmen |. Sexes alike. 50. PTILOPUS EUGENIC. lotreron eugeniee, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1856, p. 137; Gray* List B. Brit. Mus. (1856) p. 6; Bon. Iconogr. Pig. (1857), text. Ptilonopus eugeniee, Gray, List B. Trop. Isl. (1859) p. 39 ; Wall. Ibis, 1865, p. 381 ; Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1869, p. 124. Ptilopus eugeniee, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genov. vol. ix. (1876) p. 195. Hab. Solomon Islands. The type specimen, which I have examined, of this apparently distinct species, is in a mutilated condition, and wants entirely the tail. The species is very close to the two preceding, but differs in the white head. The type in tbe British Museum is unique. Top of head, cheeks, and upper part of throat white. Centre of lower throat and breast rich deep crimson. Back of neck and upper parts yellowish green. Across the shoulders a band of grey, and the tertiaries tipped with the same. Secondaries bright green, edged on the outer webs with yellow. Under surface greyish greeen. Tail wanting. Bill apparently greenish at base, yellow at tip. Wing 4^ inches, culmen \. (Type.) 51. PTILOPUS RIVOLII. Columba rivoli, Knip & Prev. Pig. vol. ii. pl. 57; Des Murs, Iconogr. Ornith. pl. 4 (1845). lotreron rivolii, Bon. Consp. Av. vol. ii. p. 25 (1857). Ionotreron rivolii, Reich. Taub. p. 100, Taf. 235. fig. 1306. Ptilonopus rivoli, Wall. Ibis, 1865, p. 381. Ptilonopus solomonensis, Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist vol v (1870) p. 328. Ptilopus rivolii, Sclat. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1877, p. 109. |