THE LESSEE PUEPLE-BEEASTED FEXJIT PIGEON 23 



The Purple-crowned Fruit Pigeon. 



Ptilopus {Lamprotreron) superhics. 



Moluccas, Northern Australia, New Guinea, Batchian, Bismarck 

 Archipelago, Ceram, Amboina. 



Male: Brown-purple-violet, sides of head olive-green; upper parts 

 green; scapulars, inner greater wing coverts and inner secondaries with 

 deep blue spots near tip; sides and back of neck bright rufous; chin grey, 

 breast grey with base of feathers purple; below the breast a broad black 

 band, tinged with blue or green; abdomen white; flanks green, with two 

 white bands; tail above green, underneath dark grey, with whitish band 

 at tip. Total length 10.22 to 8.45 inches, wing 5.38 to 4.91, tail 3.22 to 

 2.63, bill 0.62 to 0.55, tarsus 0.74 to 0.66. 



Female: No blue patch on the smaller wing coverts near the bend of 

 the wing; breast grey and green; no transverse black band below the 

 breast. 



Nest a slight, flat platform, and like the foregoing, built 

 in thick scrub near the end of a branch where the green 

 back of the bird harmonises with the leaves. As there is 

 practically no wind in the scrub, the birds are enabled to build 

 on very thin boughs. They lay one egg, which is a very faint 

 cream tint, almost white, and measures 1.20 x .87 inch. 



The Purple-breasted Fruit Pigeon. 



Ptilopus (Megaloprepia) magnificus. 



Queensland and North-eastern New South Wales. 



Male: Head and neck pale greenish grey; all the upper surface and 

 wings golden green; irregular oblique band of yellow across wings; 

 under surface of wings brown; line down centre of throat; middle of 

 breast and abdomen deep purple; sides green; tail green above, dark 

 grey below. Total length about 16 inches, wing 9, tail 7.5; bill 0.8, 

 tarsus 1.12. 



Female: Like the male, but smaller. 



Nest composed of twigs and tendrils and fairly 

 substantial ; built usually near the end of a bough ; about seven 

 inches across. One egg only is laid, which is pure white and 

 usually pointed at one end, and measures 1.76 x 1.04 inch. 



The Lesser Purple-breasted Fruit Pigeon. 



Ptilopus (Megaloprepia) assimilis. 

 North-east Queensland. 



Similar to M. magnifica, but smaller. Total length about 14 inches, 

 wing 7.5. 



