LITTLE MALAY CUCKOO-DOVE 



249 



(2) green reflection on nape-feathers ; (3) white tipping on feathers of breast. 

 All tliree of these characteristics are those of age alone, not of locality ; and, 

 age for age, I can see no difference in the races from any of the localities 

 whence the bird is obtained, which would permit of their being separated 

 into local subspecies. As I have already said, the series from Burma have a 

 larger percentage of adult birds than the series from Malay, Borneo, Sumatra, 

 and the other islands, and hence, as a series, show whiter throats (Streseman 

 does not refer to this), breasts less marked with black and more with white, 

 and comparatively a higher gloss on the nape, neck, and upper-back. 



It is, however, on the variation in size principally that Streseman relies 

 as a reason for separating the four forms he recognizes. These are : — 



Macrcpygia ruficeps ruficeps from Java, Bali, and Lombok, with an 

 average wing-measurement of 144.5 mm. and extremes of variation in eight 

 birds between 140-150 mm. 



Macropygia ruficeps nana from Borneo, Sumatra, and Malacca, with an 

 average wing-measurement of 137.7 mm. and extremes of 127 and 148 mm. 



Macropygia ruficeps orientalis from Pantar, Flores, and Sumbawa to 

 Lombok, with a wing averaging 157.0 mm. and ranging between extremes of 

 146 and 167 mm. ; and finally — 



Macropygia ruficeps assimilis from Burma, with an average wing of 

 146.6 mm. and extremes of 139 and 153 mm. 



To some extent these figures are borne out by measiurements taken by 

 myself, which read as follows : — 



extremes 



139.1 

 139.7 

 131.8 

 146.0 

 135.1 

 140.9 



and 



149.3 

 140.9 

 147.3 

 160.0 

 139.7 

 150.3 



mm. 

 mm. 

 mm. 

 mm. 

 mm. 

 mm. 



K we examine these figures carefully we find we have fairly well-defined 

 groups — Java, Sumatra, etc., with a wing of about 140-142 mm., Borneo and 

 Malay States with a ^^dng of about 137 mm., and Burma with a ^ving of about 

 145 mm. Outside these three groups we have Flores, ^^dth a very big bird 

 having a wing of 155 mm. But unfortunately the series from Borneo, chiefly 

 from Mount Dulit and Kina Dalu, consists almost entirely of young birds, 

 the same with those from the Malay States, whereas the Burmese series 

 contains a high percentage of adult birds, and those few I have been able to 

 examine from Flores are all ad'ilts. Thus it is more than possible that, though 

 individuals from all localities vary very greatly in size, if there were equal 

 series of adult specimens from each locality the differences would disappear. 



The alleged differences in coloration, on the evidence obtainable, appear 

 to be entirely due to age and sex, and in the absence of better proof of a definite 

 difference in size, I must retain the Indian form under the original name of 

 ruficeps ; at the same time, it is more than probable that the bird from Pantar, 

 Flores, and Sumbawa will turn out to be a good subspecies, greatly exceeding 

 in size birds from other localities. Hartert (I.e.) separated the Sumbawa 

 bird not only on account of its greater size, but by reason of its supposed 

 darker, deeper rufous tail-coverts. The latter character, however, is only 

 individual, and some birds from Borneo, and others again from Burma, 

 are as dark as those from Sumbawa, and throughout its area of habitation 

 it will be found that young birds are darker on this part of their plumage 

 than are adults. 



