R'ASORES. 1 I 1 



The sexes present no external difference, but the smaller- 

 sized individuals may generally be regarded as females. 



Head and neck pale grey ; all the upper surface and wings 

 rich golden green ; the greater coverts and the tertiaries with 

 a patch of light yellow near the base of the outer webs, forming 

 an irregular oblique band across the wing ; primaries green ; 

 under surface of the wing brown, passing into cinnamon- 

 brown at the base of the feathers; tail rich deep bronzy 

 green ; line down the centre of the throat, and the whole of 

 the breast and abdomen rich deep purple ; under surface of 

 the shoulder, the thighs, and vent deep gamboge -yellow ; under 

 tail-coverts greenish grey, washed with gamboge-yellow. 



Sp. 455. MEGALOPREPIA ASSIMILIS, Gould. 

 Allied Fruit-Pigeon. 



Carpophaga assimilis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, 1850^ p. 201. 

 Megaloprepia assimilis, Bonap. Coup d'OEil des Pig., Compt. Rend, de 

 I'Acad. Sci., torn, xxxix et xl, 1854, 1855. 



Carpophaga assimilis, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, Supple- 

 ment, pi. 



I am not surprised that an additional Pruit-Pigeon should 

 have been discovered in the north-eastern parts of Australia, 

 since in every degree nearer the tropics palm-trees, among 

 which these birds are principally found, become more abundant. 



There exists in New Guinea another nearly allied species, 

 to which the name oi puella has been given by Lesson. This 

 bird is still smaller than the present one, and has the yellow 

 markings at the tips of the wing-coverts in the form of round 

 spots instead of oval blotches ; its face and neck are more 

 grey, and its back less golden or sulphur-green, than in 

 M. assimilis. 



Numerous specimens of this bird were collected on the 

 Cape York Peninsula by Mr. Macgillivray and the officers of 

 Her Majesty's Ship Rattlesnake. 



