262 Capt. G. E. Shelley on the 



taller trees, and are easily killed^ as they generally return at 

 once to the same tree after being shot at. On that island 

 they feed principally upon the wild dates, and are very good 

 eating. 



In Anjuan, according to Sir John Kirk, this species is very 

 abundant in the forest from the base of the hills up to about 

 1000 feet. Mr. E. Newton calls it " a stupid bird, allowing 

 you to get quite near it ; food in croj) figs ; iris red. Native 

 name ' Ningha.' " 



In Great Comoro it would appear to be equally abundant, 

 if I may judge from the fine series sent to nje from that 

 island by Sir John Kirk. Its occurrence in Madagascar 

 appears to me very doubtful. 



I have described a specimen in my own collection from 

 Great Comoro. 



3. Alectrcenas nitidissima. 



Pigeon Holandais, Sonn. Voy. Ind. Orient. 1782, p. 175, 

 pi. 100, Mauritius. 



Columba nitidissima, Scop. Flor. et Faun. Insub. ii. 1786, 

 p. 93 (ex Sonn.). 



Columba francia, Gm. S. N. i. 1788, p. 779; Temm. & 

 Knip, Pig. i. 1808-1838, p. .50, pi. 19 (fair) ; Temm. Hist. 

 Pig. et Gall. 1813, pp. 228, 463. 



Le Ramier herisse, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. vi. 1808, p. 74, 

 pi. 267 (fair) ; Sundev. Crit. om Levaill. 1857, p. 53. 



Columba batavica, Bonn. Enc. Meth. 1823, p. 233. 



Columba jubata, Wagl. Syst. Av., Columba, 1827, sp. 22. 



Alectroenas nitidissimus, Gray, List Gen. B. 1840, p. 58 ; 

 Hartl. Vog. Madag. 1877, p. 65; A. Newton, P. Z. S. 1879, 



P-2. 



Body and wings indigo-blue ; feathers of the head and 

 neck white and more elongated on the crown ; the bare 

 scarlet patch surrounding the eye extends onto the cheek and 

 across the front of the forehead ; upper tail-coverts and tail 

 vermilion, a large portion of the outer web of the tail and a 

 great portion of the inner webs of the tail-feathers black ; 

 iris red ; bill dusky slate-colour, with the base red and the 



