296 Capt. G. E. Shelley on the 



Haplopeleia simplex, Reiclib. Taub. 1855, p. 78, pi. 266. 

 figs. 2872, 2873. 



Peristei'a simplex, Hartl. Orn. W.-Afr. 1857, p. 196. 

 " Supra olivaceo-bruunescens, subtus pallidior, flavcscenti- 

 brunnea ; gula, abdomine medio, crisso et subcaudalibua 

 albis ; fronte et sincipite dilute canis ; pileo, coUo toto 

 et interscapulio uitore columbino-purpurascente, sub 

 certa luce smaragdino-micautibus ; remigibus primariis 

 albo limbatis ; subalaribus fuscis ; rectricibus mediis 

 dorso coucoloribus, reliquis late cinereo terminatis ; 

 rostro iiigro, pedibus rubentibus. Long. 11^", rostr. 

 7'", al. 5" 9'", tars. 10'".^' (Hartl. Orn. W.-Afr. p. 196). 



Hab. St. Thomas Island, W. Afr. 



This rare bird is only known to me by the description and 

 figure. 



VI. TURTUR. Type. 



Peristera, Boie, 1828, nee Swains. 1827 . T. communis. 



Turtur, Selby, Nat. Libr. v. 1835, p. 169 T. communis. 

 Streptopelia, Bp. Compt. Rend. xl. 1855, 



p. 17 T. semitorquatus. 



I shall here consider the genus Turtur as represented by 

 fifteen species. One of these, T. risorius, only occurs within 

 my limits as a native of Palestine. Two others, T. communis 

 and T. senegalensis, are included in Mr. Dresser's ' Birds of 

 Europe,'' and belong also to the Asiatic as well as the Western 

 Palsearctic Regions. Four, T. picturatus, T. aldahranus, T. 

 comorensis, and T. rostratus, are confined to the islands of 

 the Indian Ocean, which I include in the Ethiopian Region. 



T. erythrocephalus is only known by a single specimen in 

 the British Museum labelled " Cape of Good Hope.''' This 

 part of Africa has been so well worked that, if the locality is 

 correct, it appears most surprising that the specimen should 

 have remained unique ; and the only way I can account for 

 it is by supposing 71 erythrocephalus to be a hybrid cage- 

 bird, for it is strikingly intermediate in plumage between 

 T. lugens^and T. isabellinus, both from E. Africa, only with a 

 more vinous shade. The remaining five, T. semitorquatus, T. 

 decipiensj T. roseogriseus, T. vinaceus, and T. capicola, belong 



