GYMNOPHAPS PQCILORRHOA.

Rusty-banded Fruit-Pigeon.

Carpophaga pecilorrhoa, Briiggem. Abhandl. nat. Vereine zu Bremen. y p. 84
, v. p. 84.

 

THE aos eg inophaps was instituted in 1874 by Count Salvadori; and the type is Gymnophaps albertisi, a
pre Brow-Eigeon discovered at Ande in North-western New Guinea by Signor D’Albertis. Up to the time of
writing I have not seen that species; and I am unable to say whether the bird which I figure on the accom-
panying Plate is really congeneric with the Papuan Gymnophaps. My friend Dr. Meyer, who lends me the
specimen which I figure, has attached to it the name of Gymnophaps pecilorrhoa (Briiggem.); and on
comparing Count Salvadori’s description of the genus, which is remarkable for its bare loral patch extending
round the eye, I should say that Dr. Meyer is quite right in placing the species in the genus Gymnophaps.

The present bird is remarkable for its very plain coloration, differing in this respect from the majority
of the subfamily Carpophagine, many of which are of beautifully varied plumage. But though Gymnophaps
pecilorrhoa is a somewhat dull-coloured bird, the monotony of its plumage is slightly relieved by the bands
on the abdomen and the dark-centred under tail-coverts.

Nothing has yet been recorded of the habits or economy of this strange Pigeon; nor do we know the
exact part of the island of Celebes from which itcomes. It is probably from the south-eastern portion of the
island, where Dr. Fischer collected, as neither Mr. Wallace nor Dr. Meyer nor any of the old Dutch
travellers appear to have come across the species in any of the places visited by them.

I append a full description of the species :—

General colour above dusky brown shot with olive-green ; quills brown, with narrow reddish margins to
the outer web, as well as the greater wing-coverts ; tail blackish, tipped with a narrow band of buffy white ;
head dusky grey, somewhat more vinous on the hind neck, the forehead |
and throat dull vinous; lower throat darker ashy, as also the adjacent sid

ashy, extending onto the sides of the neck, and forming a conspicuous pate
\-ochre margins to the feathers ; under tail-coverts

ighter grey; cheeks, ear-coverts,
es of the neck; the chest light
h on the sides of the mantle ;

remainder of under surface brown, mottled with reddis! er ta
dark brown, with broad edgings of reddish ochre; under wing-coverts dusky brown, the axillaries rufous
brown; undersurface of quills dark ashy brown.

The specimen figured in the accompanying Plate is in tl

1 ey ee ize of life.
Dr. Meyer for the purposes of the present work. The species 1s represented about the size o

ie Dresden Museum, and was lent to me by