1878.] MR. D. G. ELLIOT ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. 529 



some period of its existence. It may possibly have been purchased 

 by Maugc at Timor. In the coppery-red hue of the wings, as well 

 as the tail, it answers well to the description given by Peale (I. c.) of 

 his P. coralensis ; and I have therefore assigned it to that species. The 

 back of the type is not " viridissimum immaculatum," as described 

 by Bonaparte, but has very conspicuous violet spots on the scapulars. 



I have given among the synonyms of this species the Columba 

 purpurata, var., figured by Madame Knip on plate 35 of the work on 

 Pigeons. Temmiuck states that there are two specimens in the 

 Paris Museum, brought by Capt. Baudin, which resemble the type 

 of his plate 35. I find that the type of Bonaparte's Pt. viridissimus 

 is marked as follows : — "Ptilopus viridissimus, Bp. ex Temm. tab. 35, 

 nee 34." This unquestionably refers to the work of Temminck and 

 Knip ; but whether it is also intended to indicate that the example 

 was the original of Madame Knip's plate I am unable to ascertain. 

 I deem it very probable, however, that it is the original from which 

 the drawing was made. In that case this bird would bear the name 

 of porphyraceus, Temm. Trans. Linn. Soc. 1822, p. 130, which 

 antedates coralensis, Peale. 



Mr. Peale states that this Dove attracted his attention by its 

 plaintive call, resembling hoot-hoot-hoot, uttered in rapid succession. 

 Although not wild, it was very difficult to see them, as their plumage 

 accorded so well with the leaves. Specimens were subsequently 

 obtained on the low coral islets of the Paumotu group, but nowhere 

 else. They always kept in the most wooded and secluded places. 



Male. " Vertex having a very pale rubiaceous spot, which does not 

 reach to the base of the bill ; bill yellow ; irides red ; head, neck, 

 and breast ashy, the feathers having a very pale greenish-yellow 

 band near their tips, those on the breast bifurcate ; back and rump 

 green, inclining to olive ; vent, wings, and tail, when viewed in a 

 positive light, bright copper-colour, barred with golden green ; 

 underparts of the wing and tail cinereous ; quill-shafts brown ; tail- 

 shafts white beneath and black on the upper surface ; tail even, the 

 inner web having a dark bar near the tip ; tertiary feathers edged 

 with yellow ; primaries and secondaries having a very narrow margin 

 of white ; feathers on the leg cinereous. Total length 9 inches ; tail 

 3 T l , extent of wings 17, bill |, tarsus 1." — Peale (I. c). 



7. Ptilopus chalcurus. 



Ptilonopus chalcurus, Grav, List Birds Trop. Isl. Brit. Mus. 

 (1859) p. 37. 



Ptilinopus chalcurus, Finsch & Hartl. Faun. Centralpolyn. 

 (1867), p. 131. 



Hab. Harvey Islands, Cook's Archipelago {Gray). 



The type of this species (?) is in the British Museum, where I 

 have had an opportunity of examining it. The colour of the fore- 

 head is amethyst, a lighter hue than in Pt. viridissimus, Bon. ; but in 

 their coppery tints the two birds greatly resemble each other. Gray 

 separated this Harvey- Island bird from Pt. coralensis, Peale, on 

 account of the light-coloured front and crown. Without the 



