PTILOPUS BELLUS, Sclater. 
Purple-bellied Fruii-Pig’eon. 
Ptilompus hellus, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 696, pi. 57. — Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genov, vii. ]). 786 (1875). 
Ptilopm belhis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genov, ix. p. 197 (1876), x. p. 157 (1877). — Elliot, P. Z. S. 1878, p. 563. 
The elaborate monograph recently compiled by Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Fruit-Pigeons of the genus Ptilopm 
renders a study of this numerous grouj) a much easier task than it has been for many years past; and I must 
acknowledge the help which I have derived from that treatise of the above-named author, whose industry and 
devotion to ornithological science have been proved by the many v^aluable papers and works which have 
issued from his pen during the last few years. 
The subject of the accompanying Plate is one of the most bcautifid of all the Ptilopi, which contain such 
a number of strikingly marked Fruit-Pigeons, many of them endeared to me by old Australian recollections 
and by the pleasure with which I look forward to illustrating all the varied forms of Fruit-Pigeons inhabiting 
the Malay archipelago. The Ptilopm bellm was first discovered by Signor D’Albertis during his celebrated 
expedition to North-western New Guinea, in Atain ; and it has since been procured in the Arfak Mountains 
by M. Laglaize, and at Amberhaki by AI. Raffray; so that the habitat of the present species would ap])ear to 
be the north-western corner of New Guinea, particularly the vicinity of the Arfak Mountains. It belongs 
to the section of the genus Ptilopm which contains species having a broad white or yellow hreast-band: in 
the case of the present bird and its near ally P. specioms, the hreast-band is lemon-yellow above, white 
beneath ; and it is distinguished from the latter species by the forehead and crown being rosy red instead of 
green, and by the abdominal sj)ot being purplish red instead of lilac. It Is also a larger bird than the nearly 
allied species. 
Mr. Elliot, from whose synoptic table the above characters have been derived, gives the following 
description of the species : — 
“ Male. Front and crown deep rosy red ; occiput dark bluish green ; breast covered by a broad half- 
moon-shaped band, ])ure white on the lower ])arts and sides, lemon-yellow on the upper part ; the abdomen 
has the middle ])ortion covered hy a purplish red patch ; entire rest of plumage yellowish green, with small, 
round, bluish-black spots on the scapulars, and the feathers of the crissum and under tail-coverts edged with 
yellow ; primaries greenish black, the first not narrowed ; tail yellowish green, with a pale apical band of 
the same colour ; bill yellow ; feet dark red ; iris yellow. Total length 9^ inches, wings tail 3f, 
cuhneii f.” 
Signor D’Albertis describes the bill as yellow, the feet as dull crimson, and the eyes as yellow. 
The Plate represents the type specimen, kindly lent to me by Dr. Sclater during its stay in this country. 
It is now in the Genoa Museum. 
