78 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 
BIRDS. @ 
Lanp Birps.—The most beautiful bird on the island is the rose- 
crowned fruit dove (Ptilopus roseicapillus Less.), called “ tot-tot” 
by the natives, and closely resembling the **manu-tangi” of Samoa 
(P. fusciatus Peale). The general color of its plumage is green. Its 
head is capped with rose-purple and the lower surface is yellow and 
orange, with some purple on the breast. The sexesare similar. When 
it utters its mournful sobbing note it presses its bill against its breast 
and swells the back of its neck. Birds which were kept by the author 
in captivity would frequently ery out in the middle of the night. 
Their favorite food was the fruit of the langilang (Conangium odora- 
tum), Cestrum berries (called ‘* tintan China”), and orange berries 
(Triphasia trifoliata). They also eat the plum-like fruit of Vimenda 
americana, called * pivtod” by the natives. 
Another fruit dove is Phlegoenus wanthonura (Temim.), the female of 
which is smaller than the male and is of a uniform reddish-brown 
color, while the male has «a white throat and olive-green reflections on 
its breast. Another dove, which was probably introduced from the 
Philippines, is Turtur dussminier’ (Temm.). It is quite common in the 
open stretches of the mesa and is called ** paluman-halomtano,” or 
‘““wild pigeon,” by the natives. It isa graceful, dove-colored bird 
resembling the common turtle dove, to which it is closely allied. 
Another introduced bird is the beautiful little plemy quail (/2rca/- 
factoria sinensis Gm.), called béngberg by the natives, from the 
peculiar whirring noise it makes in flying. This little bird, which is 
only 5 inches long, is remarkable for the large size of its eges. They 
are of a brownish color, sprinkled with deeper brownish dots, broadly 
ovate in form, and 1 inch through in their ereatest diameter, 
The most remarkable bird of the Mariannes is 2 megapode (Mega po- 
dius laperous! Quoy & Gaimard), which is called * sisengat,” or * pollo 
del monte.” It is closely allied to if not identical with a megapode 
found in the Pelew Islands, and is of the same genus as the junele- 
fowl or mound-builder of Australia (Megapodins tumulus). In the 
Marianne Islands the natives attract it by knocking stones together. 
These birds are remarkable for the thickness of their legs and the size 
of their feet. They have a habit of heaping up mounds of earth, 
decayed leaves, and rubbish in whieh they lay their eggs. They are 
of a brownish color with grayish head. On the head there is an area 
of naked skin of a reddish color. The bill and legs are yellow. The 
birds are about 9 inches long. They fly heavily. They are not known 
to occur in Guam, but were collected by M. Alfred Marche in L887, 
L888, and 1889 on the islands of Rota, Saipan, Pagan, and Agri 
belonging to this group. 
ean, 
“Tam indebted to Dr. Charles W. Richmond tor revising the scientific names of 
the birds in the following list, 
