33 



COLUMBA T'ROCAZ. 



(MADEIRAN PIGEON.) 



Columba trocaz, Heineken, in Brewst. Journ. 1829, p. 228. 

 Columba laurivora, Webb & Berth. Orn. Can. p. 26 (1841, partim). 

 Trocaza bouvryi, Bp. Compt. Bend, xliii. pp. 837, 948 (1856). 

 Trocaza trocaz, Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. ii. p. 45 (1857, partim). 



Figurce notabiles. 



Jard. & Selby, 111. Orn. pi. 98 ; Webb & Berthelot, Orn. Can. pi. 3 (upper figure) ; Bp. 

 Icon, des Pig. pi. 70. 



6 ad. capite et collo caerulescenti-cinereis vix schistaceo lavatis, plumis in nucha, et capitis lateribus argenteo 

 apicatis : dorso et tectricibus alarum (majoribus exceptis) saturate plumbescenti-schistaceis, dorso 

 postico viridi et purpureo nitente : uropygio cserulescenti-plumbeo : remigibus nigricantibus, primariis 

 vix cano marginatis, secundariis intimis schistaceo tinctis, tectricibus primariorum cffirulescenti-canis : 

 cauda. plumbescenti-schistacea, fascia magna subapicali cserulescenti-cana transnotata : pectore rufes- 

 centi-vinaceo : corpore subtus imo schistaceo : rostro corallino, ad apicem nigricante : iride straminea : 

 pedibus et regione oculari corallinis, unguibus nigricantibus. 



? ad. haud a mare distiuguenda. 



Adult Male. Head and neck slaty dove-blue, feathers on the hind neck and sides of the neck tipped with 

 light silvery or French grey ; back and lesser wing-coverts dark plumbeous slate on the fore part of the 

 back and hind neck, glossed with purple and green ; rump rather bluer than the rest of the upper parts ; 

 qudls blackish, some of the primaries with a narrow greyish blue margin, the inner secondaries tinged 

 with slate ; primary coverts dove-blue ; tail dark plumbeous slate, crossed by a broad subterminal dove- 

 blue band; breast vinous red; rest of the underparts slaty blue; bill and space round the eye coral-red, 

 the former tipped with blackish ; iris straw-colour ; legs coral-red ; claws black. Total length about 

 16 inches, culmen TO, gape T2, wing 9"2, tail 7 - 4, tarsus l - 38, middle toe with claw 2'0. 



Female. Similar to the male. 



The range of this Pigeon is extremely restricted ; for, so far as I can ascertain, it has not with 

 certainty been obtained elsewhere than in Madeira, unless, indeed, it may have been confused 

 with Columba laurivora, as is far from impossible or even improbable. Dr. Carl Bolle does not, 

 however, appear to have met with the present species, as he remarks (J. f. O. 1857, p. 328) that 

 Columba laurivora varies considerably, and that, curiously enough, Vernon Harcourt says even 

 that the Madeiran bird has silver markings on the neck. Messrs. Webb and Berthelot, though 

 they figure the present species as the male of Columba laurivora, appear to have met with true 

 C. laurivora rather than with the present species ; and hence I have deemed it advisable to follow 



