PTILONOPUS SUPERBUS. 



(Superb Fruit Pigeon.) 



Male. — Crown, purplish crimson ; clieeks and a collar behind the neck, bright green, beneath which follows a broad band of orange scarlet ; 

 throat, white, passing into grey at the sides; chest, pearly grey, the feathers being rather squarely pointed and detached, showing indications 

 of the lilac coloring at their bases ; back and wings, rich olive green ; tail, bright green, with a whitish spot near the tip ; the scapularies and 

 all but the three outermost tertiaries have a blackish purple circular spot ; primaries and secondaries, slightly margiued and more broadly 

 tipped with light yellow ; shoulders, dark purpHsh black ; a band of blackish green on the upper portion of the abdomen, followed by one of 

 pure white ; flanks, white, interrupted by patches of green ; under tail coverts, white, with a central patch of green on each feather ; feet, 

 crimson; claws, whitish, tipped with dark horn color; irides, pale yellow. 



The feiiiale has less red on the head, and her plumage is less bright than that of the male. 



Length, 8f inches ; wing, 5 ; tail, 3| ; bill, I ; tarsus, 1. 



This elegant species is found in the peninsula of Cape York ; some of the East India Islands and New Gruinea are also 

 frequented by it. The various wild fruits found in the dense and tangled scrubs near Port Albany, which are the usual haunts of this richly 

 decorated bird, supply it with abundance of its favorite food. It flies well, but is so shy and wary as to render fhe procuring of specimens a 

 matter of considerable difficulty. It is said to be excellent eating. 



