166 COLUMB.K. 



148. CARPOPHAGA VERSICOLOR. 



(BONIN FRUIT- PIGEON.) 



Columha versicolor, Kittlitz, Kupfertafeln zur Naturgeschichte der Vogel, p. 5 

 (1832> 



The Bonin Fruit-Pigeon differs from its Japanese ally in having 

 the breast pinkish purple like the crown^ and in having a pale throat. 

 It is larger than the Japanese species (wing from carpal joint 11 

 to 10 inches), and much paler both on the upper and under parts. 



Figures : Kittlitz, Kupfertafeln zur Naturgeschichte der Vogel, 

 pi. 5. fig. 2. 



The Bonin Fruit-Pigeon was discovered on one of the Bonin group 

 of islands in 1827 by Captain Beechey during the voyage of the 

 ' Blossom J ' but in consequence of the unreasonable delay in the 

 completion of the part relating to the Mollusca, the results of the 

 voyage were not published until 1839, when this interesting bird 

 received the name of Columba metallica (Vigors, Zool. Captain 

 Beechey's Voyage, p. 25) . In the meantime two events happened 

 which make the use of this name impossible. In 1828 F. H. von 

 Kittlitz spent a fortnight on the Bonin Islands, and also discovered 

 the Fruit-Pigeon which is peculiar to them, which he figured and 

 described in 1832 under the name of Columba versicolor. But 

 not only was Vigors's name antedated by that of Kittlitz in conse- 

 quence of the provoking delay, but it was completely nullified by its 

 independent application in 1835 to another species of Fruit-Pigeon 

 from the island of Timor (Temminck, Planches Colorizes, no. 562). 

 A third name, Columba kitlisii, was given to the Bonin species in 

 the same year (Temminck, Planches Coloriees, page following text 

 to no. 578). The opinion that this name was applied to the Japanese 

 species (Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, iv. Columbte, p. 74) is manifestly 

 erroneous. 



A fourth name was given to it in 1858 (Kittlitz, Denkwiirdigkeiten 

 einer Reise nach dem Russischen Amerika, nach Mikronesien und 

 durch Kamtschatka, ii. p. 175), when it was proposed to substitute 

 the name of Columba iris for that of Columba versicolor. 



There can be little doubt that Vigors's type of this species was 

 once in the Museum of the Zoological Society (together with that of 

 Nycticorax crassirostris and Coccothraustes ferreirostris) ; but there 



