116 MAGNIFICENT FRUIT-PIGEON. 



head, as in other members of this restricted genus, 

 is low and flat, and the feathers of the antise cover 

 a considerable portion of the soft part of the bill. 

 The head, the cheeks, and the upper part of the 

 neck, are of a fine pale bluish-grey, which passes in- 

 to pale green towards the lov/er part of the neck and 

 back. The upper parts of the body are of a rich 

 golden-green, assuming various shades of intensity 

 as viewed in different lights, the wing- coverts are 

 spotted with rich king's-yellow, forming an oblique 

 bar across the wings. The quills and tail are of the 

 richest shining green, changing in effect with every 

 motion of the bird. From the chin downwards pro- 

 ceeds a streak of the finest auricula purple (the base 

 of the feathers being of a deep sapphire green) : this 

 line gradually expands as it descends and covers the 

 whole breast and abdomen. The lower belly, thighs, 

 and under wing- coverts, are of the richest king's- 

 yellow. The feet are bluish-black, the tarsi short 

 and clothed with yellow feathers half way down their 

 front and sides, the claws strong, much hooked, and 

 formed for prehension. Nearly allied to this species, 

 if not a small variety of it, is the Columba amarantha 

 of Lesson, which inhabits the Islands of New Ireland 

 and New Guinea. 



Our next plate represents another species belong- 

 ing to this group, from a specimen in the possession 

 of Mr Gould : It is the 



