500 MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. [May 7, 



6. On the Fruit-Pigeons of the Genus Ptilopus. 

 By D. G. Elliot, F.R.S.E. &c. 



[Received April 16, 1878.] 

 (Plates XXXIII. & XXXIV.) 



My material for the present paper has been most ample, and was 

 derived from the following sources : — the collection of the Paris Mu- 

 seum, rich in the types of the older authors, such as Hombron and 

 Jacquinot, Lesson, Quoy and Gaimard, Bonaparte, Temminck, Knip, 

 &c. ; the collection of the British Museum, containing the types of 

 Gray, Gould, Wallace, &c. ; a series of special desiderata from the 

 Museum at Genoa, collected by D'Albertis, Bruijn, &c, and from 

 the Museum of Count Turati at Milan ; a large number of various 

 species from different localities brought by Laglaize, and especially 

 by M. Raffray, now in the Paris Museum ; the species of Ptilopus 

 procured by the 'Challenger' Expedition, also those from Duke-of- 

 York Island sent by Mr. Brown ; specimens in Messrs. Salvin and 

 Godman's collection obtained by Mr. Layard in the Fiji Islands ; 

 and, lastly, the type specimen of Dr. Finsch's recently described Pt. 

 ponapensis. 



Probably no such complete series, illustrating the species of this 

 group from all localities, has ever before been at the disposal of any one 

 wishing to study these birds ; and it is very safe to say that, unless I 

 had had before me the actual specimens described and figured by the 

 earlier writers, especially of those species belonging to the islands of 

 the Polynesian subregion, this paper could never have been written 

 without great danger of adding to the confusion already existing in 

 these perplexing birds. The descriptions in many instances are so 

 meagre and unsatisfactory, and the illustrations, in certain cases, so 

 totally unlike the originals, that it is utterly impossible to recognize 

 the species by them ; but having had the specimens, in the majority of 

 instances, before me, I have been enabled to ascertain without diffi- 

 culty to what species these doubtful birds (made such by their authors) 

 really belonged. Some of my conclusions may be found to be quite 

 at variance from those of other authors ; but in all cases (unless 

 otherwise stated), let it be remembered, I have judged from the vast 

 material at my command, and, having brought to my task a mind to- 

 tally unprejudiced by any preconceived opinions, it will not perhaps be 

 deemed too great a request should I ask that, if any of the decisions 

 arrived at in this paper are rejected, they may be condemned only 

 after the examination of material at least approximating somewhat 

 to that which I have consulted, and such as will clearly show my 

 views to be erroneous. 



Probably there are but few groups of birds so liable to lead a 

 naturalist astray as those species of Ptilopus inhabiting the Pacific 

 islands ; and, without an ample series before him, no one could 

 accurately diagnose the forms that really are distinct. In this spe- 

 cial division ot the genus the collection of the Paris Museum is rich, 



