164 COLUMB^i:. 



both its insular races in the shape and colour of its tail, which is 

 much graduated and is crossed by a dark terminal band, but it differs 

 from both of them, and from all the other species of Treron (except 

 from the long-tailed T. apicauda), in having lost the curious sinua- 

 tion on the inner web of the third primary, so characteristic of the 

 other species in the genus. 



146. TRERON PERMAGNA. 

 (LOO-CIIOO GREEN PIGEON.) 



Treron permar/na, Stejneger, Proc. United States Nat. Mus. 1886, p. 637. 



The Loo-Choo Green Pigeon is a larger bird than its Japanese 

 ally ; and the head, brcast_, and belly are a nearly uniform dark 

 green. 



The Loo-Choo Green Pigeon was described by Dr. Stejneger from 

 an example obtained by Mr, Namiye on the island of Okinawa-Shima, 

 one of the central group of the Loo-Choo Islands. It is so nearly 

 allied to one of the Formosan Green Pigeons that its specific dis- 

 tinctness must be regarded as somewhat doubtful until a larger series 

 is obtained. There are two examples, apparently male and female, 

 in the Pryer collection. 



Both the Formosan Green Pigeons are represented by allied races 

 in the islands lying to the north. In Japan T. sororia is represented 

 by T. sieboldi, and on the Loo-Choo Islands T. formosana is repre- 

 sented by T. permagna. The Loo-Choo Green Pigeon can only be 

 regarded as a large race of its Formosan ally; the length of the wing 

 in the former varying from 8*2 to 7'7 and that of the latter from 

 7*G to 71 inches. The females of the two races scarcely differ in 

 colour, but in the male of T. formosana in the Swinhoe collection 

 (the type) the green of the crown is suffused with orange, which is 

 not the case with the male of T. permagna in the Pryer collection. 

 In both races the graduation of the tail is very slight (about half an 

 inch), and tlie third primary is sinuatcd. It is very difficult to trace 

 the affinities of these nearly allied races, but they do not seem to 

 belong to the same group as tlic Hainan Green Pigeon, the species 

 belonging to which are characterized by a broad pale terminal band 

 across the under surface of the tail. They probably belong to the 

 same stock as the other two races inhabiting nearly the same area. 



