604 Birds of Celebes: Treronidae. 



feathers (Priomturus, Merops), the shape of the first primary in Ptilopus etc., the 

 Bucerotidae , and others, may with safety be ascribed. Pigeons rarely "sail" on 

 outstretched wings, like Crows, many Birds-of-jirey, Storks, etc., though in spring 

 Wood-pigeons may often be seen doing so in play; they are more given to 

 beating the air with short, quick strokes with the wing not fully expanded, or 

 "shooting" through the air on half-closed wings, steering and turning with re- 

 markable agility. In these evolutions the first primary, which roots in the 

 terminal digit of the manus, is not stretched out, and is probably almost entirely 

 covered by the succeeding quills; the attenuated tip of it, which turns in- 

 wards very much, certainly is so. Hence the reason why the first quill is more 

 subjected to attrition from the quills in Pigeons than in many other birds. 



Count Salvadori (Cat. B. 1893 XXI, p. 1) states that Pigeons have eleven 

 primaries! We do not know from what Pigeon, or after what anatomist (unless 

 Gadow), the Italian ornithologist makes this statement; certainly all the Pigeons 

 we have examined have the number usual in the higher orders of birds — ten 

 primaries, and Ptilopus is no exception to the rule. The outermost primary 

 covert is present, though reduced, but we have failed to find any sign of the 

 eleventh quill. No mention of the primary formula in Pigeons is made either 

 by Gerbe, Jeffries, Goodchild, or Wray, but Gadow, like Salvadori. 

 states that Pigeons have eleven primaries (Bronn's Kl. u. Ord. VI, pt. IV, Vog. II. 

 p. 212, 1893). 



^* 255. PTILOPUS MERIDIONALIS M.&Wg. 



South Celebes Red-eared Fruit-pigeon. 



a. Ptilopus fischeri (IJ Meyer (nee Brligg.), Ibis 1879, 135; (II) Gould, B. New Giiinea 

 V, pi. 56 (1880); (3) Meyer, Ibis 1881, 170, pt. (S. Cel.). 



I). Leucotreron fischeri meridioaalis fl) M. & Wg., Orn. Monatsb. Jan. 1893, 12. 



Ptilopus meridionalis (1) Salvad., Cat. B. XXI, 1893, 74; (2) Hart, Nov. Zool. 1896, 163. 



Figure and descriptions. Gould a II; Meyer & Wiglesw. b 1. 



Adult. Like P. fischeri. adult, but the entire back and wing-coverts greenish slate, not yel- 

 lowish grass-green; the entire under surface (except flanks and under tail-coverts) 

 light pinkish grey washed over with buff (not juguluni and breast dark grey, and 

 abdomen ochraceous) ; head and nape-band darker than in P. fischeri, the red on sides 

 of head also somewhat darker; hind neck and mantle darker; no buff on throat, which 

 is white; bill somewhat shorter. Wing 172—175; tail 145; tarsus c. 28; bill from 

 feathers of forehead 15.5 mm (type Macassar: Teijsmann, Nr. 1679). 



Female. "Shghtly more greenish above, a little more brownish below, and a little smaller. 

 CT wing 172— 175 mm, 2 wing 165— 166 m" (Hartert 2). 



"Iris orange-red; bill dark leaf-green; feet dull purplish; nails brownish pliuu- 

 beous" (2, Everett 2). 



Immature. A few green feathers interspersed on the shoidders and wing-coverts; lower back 

 ahnost entirely green; under surface, especially near the vent, more oclnaceous (Leyden 

 Museum). 



Distribution. Southern Peninsula of Celebes: — [near] Macassar (Teijsmann), Mt. Bonthain 

 and surrounding hills, c. 2500— c. 6000 ft. (Everett 2). 



