BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 101 



ORDER CO LUMB/E : PIGEONS AND DOVES. 



Sub-Order Columbae : Pigeons. 

 FAMILY-TRERONID/E (2 species). 



Sub- Family Ptilopodinae. 

 *PUBPLE-CBOWNED FKUIT-PIGEON 



(Ptilopus superbus, Tenim.j 



Male. " Pileum purple- violet ;, occiput and sides of the head 

 olive-green; sides and back of the neck bright rufous; back, rump, 

 upper tail coverts, scapulars, and wing coverts green, with an olive- 

 brown tinge; scapulars, inner greater wing coverts, and inner 

 secondaries with deep blue spots near the tip; small wing coverts 

 near the bend of the wing deep blue ; quills black, primaries with 

 narrow outer edges yellow; secondaries and greater wing coverts 

 green on the outer web and edged with yellow ; chin and greater 

 part of the cheeks pale grey; breast grey, with the base of the 

 feathers purple ; below the breast a broad black band more or less 

 tinged with blue or green; abdomen white; flanks green, with two 

 white bands; under tail coverts white, with a longitudinal green 

 spot on the inner web and tinged with pale yellow at the apical 

 edge ; under wing coverts greyish-green ; quills underneath dark 

 grey; tail above green, wdth a greyish-white band at the tip; tail 

 below dark grey, w r ith a white band at the tip " (B. M. Cat.) 

 Dimensions in mm. : Length, 245; bill, 13; wing, 125; tail, 80; 

 tarsus, 17. 



Female. " Upper parts, including the pileum and hind-neck, 

 green; a deep blue spot on the occiput; blue spots on the scapu- 

 lars and inner secondaries less distinct than in the male ; no blue 

 patch on the smaller wing coverts near the bend of the wing; 

 lower part of the throat and breast grey and green, without the 

 purple colour at the base of the feathers ; no transverse black 

 band below the breast " (B. M. Cat.) 



Nest. A frail platform, composed of a few twigs, and placed 

 in a small tree or in scrub a few feet from the ground. 



Eggs. Clutch one; elliptical in shape; texture fairly fine; 

 surface glossy; colour faintly creamy-white. Dimensions in mm. : 

 29 x 21. 



Breeding Season. September to February. 



Geographical Distribution. Tasmania (accidental), New South 

 Wales, Queensland, and Northern Territory ; also New Guinea and 

 a number of adjacent islands. 



Observations. The late Sir Richard Dry shot the first specimen 



