692 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON A NEW SPECIES OF DOVE. [Nov. 21, 



Plate LXXII. 



Fig. 1. Ciicumaria saxicola, about twice the natural size. 



(Taken from a specimen contracted by preservation in spirit.) 



2. Portion of skin of the same with spicules in situ. X 210. 



3. Spicules from body of the same. X 210. 



4. Transverse view of foot of the same. X 84. 



4. Description of a new Species of Dove from the Coral- 

 reef of Aldabra. By P. L. Sclater, M.A., Ph.D. F.R.S., 

 Secretary to the Society. 



[Eeceived October 27, 1871.] 



(Plate LXXIII.) 



In my report on the additions to the Society's Menagerie for 

 June last* I recorded the arrival of a pair of Doves, presented to 

 the collection by Mr. Edward Newton, and brought home for us by 

 Sir Henry Barkly on his return to this country from Mauritius. 

 Mr. Newton informed me that these Doves were procured for him 

 by Mr. Swinburne Ward, when he visited the coral-reef of Aldabra 

 in 1868, and were believed to belong to an undescribed species. 

 Aldabra Island lies in the Indian Ocean, north of Madagascar, in 

 about 9° 26' S. lat. and long. 46° 35' £. Upon announcing the 

 arrival of these birds I proposed for them the temporary designation 

 Turtur aldabranus, under which name I now propose to describe 

 this interesting species, as follows : — 



Turtur aldabranus, sp. nov. (Plate LXXIII.) 



Supra brunneus unicolor, capite toto cum collo undique vinaceo 

 perfusis : colli postici plumis nigris vinaceo terminatis, tanquam 

 squamatis: subtus cineraceus, usque ad medium pectus vinaceo 

 perfusus, ventro medio crissoque albis : alarum remigibus cine- 

 raceo-brunneis, unicoloribus : caudce rectricibus duabus mediis 

 omnino et proximis in pogonio exteriore brunneis dorso con- 

 coloribus : ceteris omnibus nigris, limbo unciali lactescenti- 

 albo terminatis : subalaribus cineraceis : rostro plumbeo, apice 

 flavicante, pedibus carneis : long, tota 10"5, alee 575, caudce 

 3'9, tarsi 1*1 poll. Angl. et dec. 

 Hab. Insula Aldabra. 



Obs. Proximus Turturi rostrato ex ins. Seychellensibus, a quo 

 uropygio et rectricibus mediis brunneis, nee cineraceis, et rostro de- 

 biliore diversus : differt a Turture picturato capite vinaceo nee 

 cinereo. 



The pair of this Dove which Mr. Newton sent us were in good 

 health ; but the hen had an injured wing, which prevented her from 

 flying off the ground. Notwithstanding this, when placed in the 

 large Western Aviary they quickly showed symptoms of breeding, 



* See antea, p. 623. 



