Genus Ptilinopus. 473 



Genus. Ptilinopus. Mihi. 



Generic Character. 



Alee mediocres, remigum pinna prima apicem versus contractu, 

 iertid quartaque longissimis. 

 Rostrum gracile. 

 Tarsi plumosi. 

 In proposing the characters of this genus, I wish them to be 

 considered more as indicating a group, by which the genus 

 Treron, Vieill. (Finago, Cuvier,) may be united to the naked- 

 legged Pigeons, than as being so rigidly framed as to exclude all 

 other species which do not strictly present the same structure. It 

 is quite evident, from consulting the excellent figures of MM. 

 Le Vaillant and Temminck, that there are a number of Pigeons 

 found both in India and Australasia, which have the feathered 

 tarsi of Treron, accompanied by the slender bill of the other 

 Columbidce, and thereby clearly indicate an intervening group : 

 yet among these birds there is a material difference in the con- 

 struction of their quill feathers. In the Columba magnifica, for 

 instance, the first quill is equal in breadth to any of the others, 

 and thus assimilates, probably, to that structure which belongs to 

 Treron;* while, in the bird we are about to describe, this quill 

 is suddenly narrowed, and resembles the blade of an obtuse pen- 

 knife. This singular formation, however, I have detected in 

 several of the naked-legged Pigeons, such as the C. striata, Lath., 

 and the C. humeralis of Temminck, two birds from Australasia 

 in the Linnean Society's collection ; and likewise in two other 

 species from Brazil, now before me. This character consequently 

 will not be peculiar to Ptilinopus ', but when coupled with the 

 feathered tarsi and slender bill, may indicate a group to which the 

 Columba monacha of Temminck (PI. Col. liv. 43. pi. 253), and 

 the Colombe porphyre (PI. Col. pi. 106) most probably belong.t 



* I say probably, because I have not, at this moment, the means of ascer- 

 taining the fact. Mr. Vigors is in possession of several specimens of this group, 

 which he assures me have no peculiarity in the shape of first quill feather. 



+ Judging from the description of authors, the Columba metadata, Lath., and 

 the Col. viridis, Linn., appear referable to Ptilinopus. ' . 



