PHLOGCENAS TRISTIGMATA. 



Branded Pigeon. 



Columba tristigmata, Temm. in Mus. Lugd.— Schleg. De Dier., fig. p. 209. 



Phlegcenas tristigmata, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. torn. ii. p. 88, PUegcenas, sp. 2.— Wall, in Ibis, 1865, p. 393, 



pi. ix.-G. R. Gray, Hand-1. of Birds, part ii. p. 247.— Wall. Malay Archipel., vol. i. p. 413. 

 Phlogcenas tristigmata, Wald. Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. viii. p. 85. 



This very fine and rare species of Pigeon differs very considerably in colouring, from the Phlogcenas 

 cruenta, which, according to the late Mr. G. R. Gray, is the type of the genus. On reference to the accom- 

 panying plate it will be seen that it is a much larger bird than either of the two nearly allied species, 

 P. cruenta and P. crinigera, and is moreover rendered conspicuous by the peculiar markings of the 

 under surface of the wings and the flanks — markings which are hidden when the wings are closed, but become 

 very apparent when they are raised, as shown in the drawing. I wish it were in my power to furnish a full 

 account of the habits, manners, and economy of this interesting bird ; but, alas ! where all is blank, what can 

 we do but wait until some oup ^as again visited its native localities and furnished particulars of them for our 

 information ? Had that intrepid traveller Mr. Wallace said any thing on the subject, his account would 

 doubtless have been quoted by Lord Walden in his valuable memoir on the birds of Celebes ; he 

 has furnished us, however, with a note of the colouring of the soft parts, which I append to the description 

 of the plumage taken from a specimen in my own collection. Of its habitat, Mr. Wallace says, "Macassar, 

 Menado, Celebes ;" and adds, " Feeds on the ground and inhabits the drier forests, where it is very scarce." 



Specimens of this bird are still so rare in Europe that it is a desideratum to most collections, as is 

 evidenced by there not being one in that of the British Museum. 



" Forehead rich buffy yellow, margined laterally with white ; hinder part of the head and nape glossy 

 green ; face and chin greyish white ; behind each ear a patch of deep maroon red ; lower part of the neck 

 and mantle grey, glossed with green ; upper surface, wings, and central tail-feathers chocolate-brown, 

 glossed on the centre of the back with bronzy purple ; lateral tail-feathers slaty grey, crossed near the end 

 with a broad band of dull black ; breast-feathers long, loose, hair-like, grey, and gradually blending in front 

 with the buffy yellow which occupies the centre of the breast and abdomen ; flanks and axillaries chocolate- 

 brown, each feather tipped with buff; lesser under wing-coverts tipped with buff; greater coverts largely 

 tipped with white ; under tail-coverts white, some of them margined with black ; bill dusky purplish, apex 

 dark horny ; eyelids dull purple ; legs carmine red ; toes slaty purple ; claws pale horny." 



The figures are of the size of life. 



