116 
MAGNIFICENT FRUIT-PIGEON. 
liead, as in other members of this restricted genus, 
is low and flat, and the feathers of the antite cover 
a considerable portion of the soft part of the bill. 
The head, the cheeks, and the upper part of the 
neck, are of a fine pale bluish-grey, which passes in- 
to pale green towards the lower part of the neck and 
hack. Tlie upper parts of the body are of a rich 
golden-green, assuming various shades of intensity 
as viewed in diflerent lights, — the wing-coverts aie 
spotted with rich king’s-yellow, forming an oblique 
bar across the wings. The quills and tail are of the 
richest shining green, changing in effect with every 
motion of the bird. From the chin downwards pro- 
ceeds a streak of the finest auricula purple (the base 
of the feathers being of a deep sapphire green) : this 
line gradually expands as it descends and covers the 
whole breast and abdomen. The lower belly, thighs, 
and under wing-coverts, are of the richest king’s- 
yellow. The feet are bluish-black, the tarsi short 
and clothed with yellow feathers half way down their 
front and sides, the claws strong, much hooked, and 
formed for prehension. Nearly allied to this species, 
if not a small variety of it, is the Columba amarantha 
of Lesson, which inhabits the Islands of New Ireland 
and New Guinea. 
Our next plate represents another species belong- 
ing to this group, from a specimen in the possession 
of Mr Gould : It is the 
