ON THE GENUS PTILOPUS. 345 



which Wallace consequently places it, under the name of GloUcera tumida. 

 The occurrence of a swelling at the base of the upper mandible is con- 

 sidered characteristic of this subgenus ; but Wallace makes a mistake in 

 comparing this phenomenon to the protuberance in Anser cygnoides, which 

 protuberance belongs to the bony system : a comparison with Anas tadorna 

 would have been more apt. The other race of C rosemucha occurs on 

 the Ceram-laut island-group ; it is perfectly similar to the former, but wants 

 the swelling of the cere ; it therefore ought to be placed, according to modern 

 systematic ideas, in another genus or subgenus ; and this Wallace does, in 

 describing it as Carpophaga concinna'' 



Page 15 : — 



" Very interesting and, as I believe, of great importance for the under- 

 standing of the question, is the fact that there are domesticated Pigeons 

 whose cere forms a strong protuberance, just as in the New-Guinea race of 

 the wide (7. roseinucha^ viz. in the ' English Carrier ' and in a smaller degree 

 in the other subraces of the so-called ' Turkish Pigeon.' We therefore have 

 here a similar phenomenon as in some individuals of the domesticated races 

 of Anser cygnoides in comparison with other Lamellirostres, which are (as, for 

 instance, Fuligula nigra) conspicuous by a bony protuberance. 



" Another occurrence, which is just as remarkable, though in a different 

 respect, must be mentioned here. Schlegel described, in the year 1866, under 

 the name of Ptilopus insoUtus^ a form of Ptilopus which is very curious. It 

 probably came from the New Hebrides, much damaged, and no doubt a 

 young individual. Now a most strange thing was a strong bony protuberance, 

 of 4 millims. height, at the base of the upper bill — an occurrence certainly 

 unique in the genus Ptilopus ! But this protuberance has now proved (and 

 Prof. Schlegel himself has directed my attention to it) to be a pathological 

 phenomenon. Nevertheless this case is a very interesting one ; and, according 

 to my opinion, it is of great importance as to the understanding of all 



3a 2 



