346 CHARADRIIFORMES chap. 



Serresius gcdeatus, of tlie Marquesas Islands, noted for the feathered 

 skin or " saddle " covering half the cnlnien, is deep glossy green, 

 with dark grey head and under parts. All these rruit-Pigeons 

 feed and build on lofty trees, and seldom, if ever, descend to 

 the ground — possessing short legs and broad-soled grasping feet ; 

 they have a powerful rapid flight and utter varied notes, occa- 

 sionally deep and booming like a wild beast's roar ; they eat vast 

 quantities of fruit, and some are very fond of mice ; while they 

 normally lay two eggs, but exceptionally one. 



The five splendid species of Megalo'prepia occupy the Northern 

 Moluccas, Papuasia, and Eastern Australia. M. magnifica of 

 the latter country has a greenish-grey head and neck, golden- 

 green upper parts wdth an oblique yellow band on the wing- 

 coverts, rich purple breast and abdomen, and yellow vent. M. 

 formosa of the Halmahera group lacks the yellow on the wings 

 and has, in the male only, a crimson patch on the greenish breast. 

 The other three species are barely separable. The habits re- 

 semble those of Carpophaga, the note being peculiarly hoarse. 



Alectoroenas comprises four remarkable forms from Madagascar 

 and the neighbouring islands, of which A. nitidissima of Mauri- 

 tius has become extinct within historic times, three specimens 

 being still extant at Port Louis, Paris, and Edinburgh respec- 

 tively. This species, called " Pigeon hollondais " from its colours, 

 which are those of the Dutch flag, is indigo-blue, with white head 

 and neck, vermilion tail-coverts and tail edged with black, and red 

 carunculated orbits, lores, and forehead. A. madagascariensis, of 

 Madagascar and Nossibe Island, has most of the neck slaty-grey, 

 but the head blue, and the tail crimson with a wasli of blue and 

 green at the base, while the naked skin only surrounds the eyes. 

 A. pidcherrima of the Seychelles, to which the name of " Pigeon 

 hollondais " has been transferred, has the neck and breast grey, 

 the upper parts, including the tail, black with blue reflexions, the 

 crown crimson, the orbits, lores, and forehead wattled. A. sganzini 

 of the Comoro Islands differs in having a grey head and only 

 the orbits bare. Throughout the genus the long, loosely webbed 

 and bifurcated neck-feathers resemble hackles in appearance. The 

 members are, according to circumstances, tame and stupid, or shy 

 and wary ; they are arboreal and fly powerfully, while they feed 

 on dates, figs, berries and grain, the flocks being very destructive 

 to rice-crops. DrepaMoptila holoserieea, of New Caledonia and 



