PHLOGGNAS CRINIGERA.

Maroon-breasted Pigeon.

Peristera cringer, Homb.et Jacq. in Dum. d’Urv. Voy. au Péle Sud, Zoologie, tom. iii. p. 118, Atlas, Di7ptoms oe
Pampusanna criniger, Puch.
Peristera crinigera, Reich. Syst. Av., tab. cclix. fig. 2596.

Phlegaenas crinigera, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., tom. ii. p. 88, Phlegaenas, sp. 3.
Phlogenas Bariletti, Sclat. in Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 377. pl. xxxiv.

 

ermgera, Puch., Sclat. in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1865, p. 239.
Phlegenas eringer, Wall. Ibis, 1865. p. 392.

In a paper by Mr. Sclater on some new and interesting animals recently acquired by the Zoological Society,
read at their meeting on the 10th of November, 1863, this species was regarded as new to science, and
characterized by him as Pilogenas Bartletti ; but at a subsequent meeting he stated that he had found that
this was not the case, the bird having been described some years previously in the “ Zoologie” of Dumont
d’Urville’s ‘ Voyage au Pole Sud.’ Mr. Sclater added that its native country is Soog, one of the Soolo Islands,
a locality also assigned to it by Mr. Wallace. Of the history of the species nothing appears to have been
recorded; Mr. Sclater’s notes on its breeding in the Society’s Gardens will, therefore, have additional
interest.

“The four living examples,” says this gentleman, “which adorned the menagerie of the Zoological Society
at the end of 1863, were purchased at Liverpool in the preceding August.

‘In the spring of 1864 the single male paired with one of the three females, and bred five times during
the summer of that year. The female deposited only one egg on each occasion, making a very slight nest
of small sticks in a flat basket placed eight feet from the ground. The period of incubation was fifteen
days. Two of the young birds were successfully reared ; two others died immature, and are now in the
British Museum ; on the remaining occasion the egg was addled. The parent bird died soon afterwards ;
but as the old male again mated with another female, and the young male shows symptoms of wishing to
pair, there is every prospect of continuing to propagate this highly interesting species in our aviaries.”

The Phlogenas crimgera 18 very nearly allied to the P. cruenta, but has the pectoral mark much larger,
and of a maroon- or chocolate-red instead of blood-red ; the head and neck of a metallic green instead of
lead-colour ; and the back and shoulders of a rich brown instead of slate-colour.

The sexes appear to differ but little in outward appearance.

Head, back, and sides of the neck glossy green, gradually blending with the deep chestnut-red of the back,
scapularies, upper tail-coverts, and central tail-feathers; throat white; under surface pale cinnamon, at the
junction of the two colours a large spot of deep maroon-red ; lesser every greater coverts deep
chestnut-red, largely tipped with grey, forming three bands across the wing; primaries dark brown, edged
with chestnut ; secondaries reddish chestnut ; lateral tail-feathers dark grey, crossed by a broad band of
black near the tip; irides dark brown; bill blackish brown, nostrils grey; legs and feet purplish red.

es y ve > OTe Lng 2
The figures are of the natural size. The plant is the Gynura bicolor.