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



Hab. Duke-of-York Island (Brown), Wanga, San Christoval 

 (Brenchley'). 



The type of the Ptilopus rivolii was originally in the collection of 

 the Prince d'Essling, which was purchased by Dr. Wilson, and now 

 forms part of the Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences at 

 Philadelphia. In the catalogue of Prince d'Essling's collection made 

 at the time of its sale, the specimen of Pt. rivolii is entered on page 

 30 as having "Inde" for the habitat. The exact locality of this 

 handsome species was unknown until Mr. George Brown, C.M.Z.S., 

 obtained it in Duke-of-York Island, lying off the north-east coast of 

 New Guinea. I am inclined to believe that the Pt. solomonensis, 

 Gray, is based on a young bird of this species. 



Male. Forehead purplish red ; breast crossed by a broad white 

 band, a large rose-red spot on the abdomen ; lower part of abdomen, 

 crissum, and under tail-coverts bright yellow. Rest of plumage 

 bright green, with some small round bluish-black spots on the 

 scapulars. In its dimensions this species agrees with the following 

 one. 



Female. General plumage bright green. 



52. Ptilopus prasinorrhous. 



Ptilonopus prasinorrhous, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858, p. 185; 

 id. List B. & Mamm. New Gain. 1859, p. 46 ; Wall. Proc. Zool. 

 Soc. 1863, p. 34, ex Bouru. 



Ptilopus rivoli, Schleg. (nee Prcv.) Nederl. Tijdsch. torn. iv. 

 p. 21 (1873); id. Mus. Pays-B. 1873, p. 24, Columbce ; Salvad. 

 Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. vol. ix. 1876, p. 196, ex Bouru. 



Ptilopus prasinorrhous, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. (1876) 

 vol. ix. p. 196, (1877) vol. x. p. 157. 



Hab. Ke Islands, Khoor, Tegoor, Matabello, Monavolka, Pulo- 

 Pandang, Goram, Salwatty (Von Rosenberg) ; Bouru, Waigiou 

 (Wallace); Amboina, My sol (Hoedt) ; Koffiao (Beccari); Batauta 

 (Bruijn) ; Sorong (UAlbertis). 



This species appears to be very variable in its coloration from 

 different localities ; and it is a question if examples might not be 

 procured leading completely from the typical style of this bird into 

 that of the Pt. rivolii. It is mainly distinguished from this last by 

 having the vent and under tail-coverts green, slightly margined with 

 yellow, instead of these parts being bright yellow as in Pt. rivolii. In 

 the collection at Ley den are specimens from the same locality (island 

 of Bouru), with the under tail-coverts green and yellow respectively, 

 which would seem to show that this character is an indefinite and 

 unsatisfactory one. I do not consider that the specific distinctness of 

 this bird from the Pt. rivolii has as yet been established. A larger 

 series than I have had at my command, from all the localities known, 

 will be necessary before the question can be determined. If the two 

 are distinct, it would be a curious fact that, in the case of such 

 closely allied species, Pt. rivolii should be restricted to the Duke-of- 

 York Island, while the present is scattered over a dozen islands and 

 also found upon the mainland of New Guinea. 



