420 REVIEW OF JAPANESE BIRDS. 



Vigors {L c.) describes specimens from the Bouius in the following 

 manner : 



COLUMBA MKTALLICA H. 8. 



Col. capite colloque v'maceo-eanis purpureo splendentibus, hoc pallidiore ; nucha dorsoque 

 imo me/aZZfcejjin^juws; alls, corpore infra, dorsoque medio vietallice viridibus ; remigihus 

 caiiddqitefuscis. 



Rostrum rnbens, apice flavo. Pedes flavi. Tectrices alarum inferiores atri, metal- 

 lich splendeutes. Lougitudo corporis, 16 [inches = 406™™] ; alaj, a carpo ad apicem 

 remigis tertiie, 10 [2.')4] ; rostri, IJ- [:5>] ; camlie, 8 [203] ; tarsi, U l^'^l- 



Tills species was met with iu the Boaiu Islands, iu June, 16-17. 



Since the above was put in type I have received for examination the 

 type specimens of this and the following species. Great thanks are due 

 to the authorities of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in St. Peters- 

 burg, particularly IMessrs. Dr. Strauch and Dr. Th. Pleske, for their 

 truly scientific liberality and courtesy in sending these valuable exam- 

 ples on so long a voyage, thus permitting me to lay before the readers 

 full descriptions of these unique specimens, and to clear the many 

 doubts which were caused by the unavoidable errors of the old authors 

 and by their imperfect descriptions. 



Both specimens are mounted and are in exc client preservation not- 

 withstanding the fact that they were collected nearly sixtj^ years ago. 

 To the bottom of the stands are fixed the original labels in Baron von 

 Kittlitz's own handwriting. That of the present species which is very 

 different from J. janthina reads as follows: "No. 202. Columha .splen- 

 didav. Kittl. Boninsima. v. KittUfz.^^ The present museum label calls 

 the bird lanthoenas metaUicn, Temm. 



Desckiptiox. — Ad. {Mm. ZooL, Imp. Ac. Sc. tSf. Fetersh., No. 3018. 

 Boninshima, May, 1828. KittUtz coll., No. 202). Ground color, light 

 slate-gray, with various metallic reflections, except chin and throat, which 

 are of a pale cinereous white, and the remiges, with the greater upper 

 .coverts, lining of the wing and rectrices which are of a blackish slate, 

 the longer primaries narrowly edged with brownish towards the tips ; 

 forehead dull smoke gray (perhaps only soiled) ; cheeks more cinereous ; 

 the white of chin and throat not abruptly defined, but gradually merg- 

 ing into the French gray of the neck, which is suti'used with a beautiful 

 metallic luster, being delicate silvery lilac in " positions A and B," 

 (Gadow, P. Z. S., 1SS2, p. 40D; Cat. B. Brit. Mus., ix, p. 1*), but green 

 in "position C"; crown, occiput, and upper hind neck of a darker 

 ground color, but glossed iu the same manner; gloss on breast and 

 abdomen similar but duller, flanks with very little gloss and that 

 greenish ev^en in " i)osition B"; metallic gloss on mantle in various 

 colors; in "positions A and B" the feathers next to the neck are 



* "Position A" means that the eye is placed between the bird and the light, the 

 eye and the light almost in a level with the planes to be examined; " position B," 

 the bird is placed vertically to the light, the eye being still between the light and 

 the bird ; "position C," the bird is held in nearly the same level with, but between, 

 the eye and the light. 



