26 BULLETIN 159, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



cream-buff) ; throat pale ecru-drab; jugulum and sides of neck between 

 pale neutral gray and pallid neutral gray, underlaid wdth light vina- 

 ceous-fa%vn; breast and abdomen pallid Quaker drab overlying light 

 vinaceous-drab; sides and flanks pale neutral gray; lower tail coverts 

 between carob brown and liver brown ; thighs dull white, washed with 

 pallid neutral gray; lining of wing ranging from neutral gray to pale 

 neutral gray, distally rather brownish; under surface of wing quills 

 rather light slaty fuscous; "iris deep red." 



Like most of the races of Muscadivores aeneus, this needs com- 

 parison of more than individual specimens to bring out its character- 

 istics. It seems, however, to be separable from the surrounding 

 forms. It may be distinguished from Muscadivores aeneus aeneus, 

 of Borneo, by its more greenish (less bluish) tail; usually somewhat 

 darker nape; and usually more bronzy upper parts. 



From Muscadivores aeneus chalyhurus, of the Philippine Islands, 

 it is readily separable by its darker gray cervix, less sharply defined 

 from the back, and by brighter (less grayish) and usually more bluish 

 tail. As a matter of fact it is really more nearly like Muscadivores 

 aeneus arhadius Oberholser ^^ from Sumatra, but from which it is 

 characterizable by its darker pileum and cervix and more vinaceous 

 (less purely gray) lower parts. 



As is usual in this pigeon, there is in this race some individual 

 difference in the greenish or bluish metallic sheen of the tail, but 

 otherwise in colors the adult specimens we have examined are verj'- 

 much alike. 



While there is in Muscadivores aeneus practically no color differ- 

 ence between the sexes, the bird in first autumn plumage differs 

 from the adult in lacking all trace of vinaceous on head, cervix, 

 throat, and breast, these parts being plain gray, darker and duller 

 on throat and breast than in the adult. 



The remaining lower parts also are duller and lack nearly or quite 

 all vinaceous; while the back, rump, wings, and tail are somewhat 

 duller, the back and wings being obscured to some extent with 

 glaucous. Just how long this immature plumage is worn we are 

 not sure, but probably until the bird is a year old, possibly longer. 



Four specimens were sent by Doctor Abbott: 



Adult male (type), U.S.N.M. No. 174666, Pulo Midei, May 23, 

 1900. "Iris deep red." 



Adult male, U.S.N.M. No. 174667, Pulo Midei, May 25, 1900. 

 "Bill leaden; cere livid purple; feet dark reddish purple (livid)." 



Adult male, U.S.N.M. No. 174668, Sirhassen Island, June 1, 1900. 



First autumn female, U.S.N.M. No. 174665, Bunguran Island, 

 July 14, 1900. 



>' Journ. Washington Acad. Sci., vol. 14, no. 13, p. 296, July 19, 1924. 



