CHAPTER VI. 



THE TURTLE-DOVE PATTERN IN THE PHYLOGENY OF PIGEONS (CONTINUED). 



THE TURTLE-DOVE PATTERN IN THE TRERONIDvE 

 (See table 1, page 66.) 



THE TRERONJNiE. 



In Sphenocercus sphenurus, according to Salvador! (pi. 5) and Bonaparte, the 

 long coverts are green with yellow edges; the secondaries are slate-black, edged 

 with yellow; the tertials are green without bright edges. In many species the 

 primaries are edged with yellow or a bright color. In Siebold's green pigeon (Sphe- 

 nocercus sieboldi) of Japan 1 both male and female have the under tail-coverts dark 

 (olive-green) centered and edged with yellowish white. The dark-centered feathers 

 extend forward to the legs. The long coverts of the wing also have blackish centers 

 and yellowish edges. 



THE PTIL.OPODIN.S:. 



In Ptilopus dupetit-thourarsi the upper parts of the adult bird are mostly green, 

 but the larger scapulars and the tertials have dark (deep blue) triangular centers, 

 which are pointed behind. The shape of these dark areas is that of the dark centers 

 in the European turtle-dove. Five of these spots are shown in a figure by Bona- 

 parte. 2 The secondaries and greater wing-coverts are bright green, edged with 

 yellow. Yellow here takes place of the reddish of the turtle-dove and green the 

 place of dark centers. The scapulars and tertials have centers of deep blue and 

 are edged with golden green. Unmistakably the turtle-dove pattern is preserved 

 here in a case where the colors are most ornamental. Many of the tropical green- 

 winged pigeons of the Treronidae have the tertials and one or two or three of the 

 rows of longer coverts strongly edged with yellow, the central part of the feather 

 being dark. 



Ptilopus xanthogaster, according to Salvador!, 3 has green back, wings, and tail. 

 The gray feathers of the upper breast are bifid a condition already noted in the 

 neck-feathers of both Peristeridae (Spilopelia) and Columbidae (Columba guinea). 

 The feathers of the thighs and flanks have green centers and yellowish edges. The 

 smaller and median wing-coverts have green centers and golden-green edges; the 

 greater coverts and the secondaries have yellow edges. The scapulars and inner 

 secondaries have deep-blue centers, edged with yellow. These deep-blue centers 

 are not pointed, but fill out the feather as does the black in the Japanese turtle-dove. 



Ptilopus chrysogaster 4 has all of the wing-feathers edged with yellow where the 

 turtle-dove has edges of buff color. The feathers of the crop, or upper breast, are 

 bifid. 



Ptilopus marice is one of the most highly colored and variegated of pigeons. In 

 this species the male differs widely from the female and the young. In the adult 

 male we see nothing that points decidedly to the turtle-dove mark, but Salvador! 



1 1 have a mounted specimen brought from Japan by Mr. Hayaahi. 

 * Iconographie dcs pigeons, pi. xvn. 



1 This is Thouarsilreron diademata of Bonaparte (Iconographie, pi. xvin). 



4 The descriptions of Ptilopus are based on the statements and figures of Salvador! and of Bonaparte; the latter 

 has figured P chrysogaster in pi. xxix; P. mariK in pi. xvi. 

 104 



