CARPOPHAGA VAN-WYCKIL, Cass.

Van Wyck’s Fruit-Pigeon,

Carpophaga van-wyckit, Cass. Proc. Acad. Philad. 1862, p. 320.—Pelz. Novara Reis.. Voc oe
Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genov. ix. p. 200, no. 41 (1876).—Sclater 50. Zool io one
pp. 289, 671.—Salvad. Monogr. Sottogen. Gilobicera, p. 5 (
ii. p. 292 (1878), iv. pp. 73, 101 (1879)
pp. 218, 447, 451.—Layard, ‘Ibis, 1
p. 87 (1882).

Globicera vanwyckii, Gray, Hand-list of Birds, ii. p. 229, sp. 9184 (1870).

Carpophaga wicket, Giebel, Thes. Orn. i. p. 588 (1872).

» Proc. Zool. Soc. 1877, p. 109; 1878,
| 1878).—Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. 8. W.
.—Salvad. Ibis, 1879, p. 326.—Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879,

880, pp. 297, 301.—Salvad. Orn. Papuasia e delle Molucche, iii.

Carpophaga microcera, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S, W. i. p. 372 (1876).
Carpophaga rhodinolema, Finsch (nec Sclater), Proc. Zool. Soc. NAO e somal.

 

Tue greatest uncertainty has long prevailed regarding the distinctness of this species from C, pistrinaria

of the Solomon Islands. C van-wyckit was discovered by Lieut. Van Wyck, of the United States Navy, in
New Ireland, and specimens have more recently been obtained in Duke of York Island by the Rev. G.
Brown and Dr. Kleinschmidt, as well as in Pigeon Island, New Britain, and Palakura, by Mr. L. C. Layard.
Mr. E. P. Ramsay also records it from Deboyne Island and Bramble Haven in the Louisiade Group and
even from South Cape in South-eastern New Guinea. It will be seen, therefore, that its range is somewhat
extensive, and there would be nothing surprising in the fact that the Solomon Island Carpophaga was
precisely identical ; and that this is the case has been suggested by Count Salvadori. We have ourselves
compared a specimen from New Britain with one from San Christoval, and we find that, although the
resemblance is close, there are sufficient characters to recognize C. van-wyckii from C. pistrinaria. The
difference consists in the dusky grey character of the upper plumage in C. pistrinaria, which has little or
no green gloss, while the hind neck and mantle are scarcely distinguishable from the rest of the back. In
C. van-wyckii the vinous grey hind neck and mantle contrast strongly with the rest of the back, which has
avery distinct gloss of bronzy green. :

The following is a description of an adult female, taken from a New Britain specimen in the British
Museum :—

Adult female. General colour above pale brovzy green, with a slight shade of purplish ‘hae ou ite rump
aid upper tail-coverts; lesser wing-coverts pale bronzy green ; primary-coverts and quills blackish, the
primaries ashy grey externally, glossy green at the ends; secondaries also externally grey, but also glossed
With green, the innermost like the back; tail-feathers
crown of head delicate pearly grey; hind neck and mantle pearly grey with | aes
especially on the sides of the neck, the grey of the mantle merging into the green of the back; bas
forehead dull white ; lores pearly grey, fading into pale vinous ; feathers oe
ck, and chest pale delicate vinaceous ; breast

black, with a purple gloss, green on the outer edges ;
a strong vinaceous tinge,

round eye white ; sides of face,

‘ and remainder

ear-coverts, cheeks, throat, sides of neck, fore ne ( pee i ae

of under surface pale pearly grey, with a vinaceous tinge; under tail-coverts vinous ae ee oe

coverts and axillaries delicate pearly grey like the sides of the body ; ols ee Ny OOM aR §
the inner edge. Total length 14:5 inches, culmen 1:15, wing 89, tail 5:3, be :
The figure in the Plate is life-sized, and is drawn from the specimen described above.

[R. B. S.J