4G8 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie Graut on the 



9G. Ptilopus marcheI; Oustalet; Salvad. Cat. B. Brit. 

 Mus. xxi. p. 75 (1893). 



The finding of Marche's Fruit-Pigeon, the largest as well 

 as one oi the handsomest birds of this group, is only equalled 

 in importance and interest by Mr. Whitehead's rediscovery 

 of Koch's Pitta. The only previously known example of 

 this Pigeon was the type in the Paris Museum obtained in 

 Luzon by M. Marche more than fifteen years ago ; this 

 example was believed to be a female, the sex having been 

 doubtfully determined. Under these circumstances it may 

 not be considered superfluous to give a full description of the 

 male, female, and immature of this very rare bird. 



Adult male. Entire top of the head dull crimson-red, the 

 same colour being continued down the sides of the cheeks, 

 on either side of the throat; feathers surrounding the eye 

 light red ; hind cheek and ear-coverts dusky black ; back 

 and sides of the neck and upper part of the breast pearl- 

 grey, forming a collar which completely separates the dull 

 crimson crown from the dusky black mantle and back. 

 Wings like the back, but with green reflections ; lower 

 back, rump, and upper tail-coverts bronze-brown with green 

 reflections ; primary-quills black, finely edged with pale 

 yellow ; the two outer secondaries are similarly margined, 

 the remainder edged with crimson along the middle of the 

 outer web, the crimson barbs being loose and free and 

 forming a large patch on the wing. Tail bronze-brown, 

 broadly edged with brownish grey, beneath dark grey tipped 

 with whitish ; chin and middle of throat brownish buff. In 

 the centre of the grey breast there is a large patch of bright 

 orange-vermilion washed with lake, and shading into deep 

 red-lake below ; this is followed by a patch of creamy white ; 

 the rest of the uuderparts are dull pearly grey, most of the 

 feathers being finely edged with creamy yellow, and the 

 under tail-coverts are buff, with brownish-grey centres. 

 " Eye : inner ring yellow, outer lake-red; bill at base brick- 

 red, tipped with yellow; feet deep coral-red'^ [/. fF.]. 

 Total length 16 inches, wing 7\, tail 5*1;, tarsus 1'25. 



Adult female. Similar to the male, but the crown is of a 



