PTILOPUS RIVOLI.

Massena Fruit-Pigeon.

Columba rivoli, Knip & Préy. Pigeons, ii. pl. 57; Des Murs, Iconogr. Ornith. pl. 4 (1845)

Totreron rivolli, Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. ii. p. 25 (1857), : i

Tonotreron rivolli, Reichenb. Taub. p. 100, Taf. 235. fic. 1306.

Ptilonopus rivol, Wall. Ibis, 1865, p. 381.

Ptilonopus solomonensis, Gray, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. v. p. 328 (1870).

Ptilopus rivolu, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 109.—Elliot, P. Z. S. 1878, D. 561.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genoy.
Beep. 196 (1877); id. xii. p. 345 (1878).

 

ConsIDERABLE uncertainty has existed with regard to the exact locality where this Fruit-Pigeon was to be
found ; but one may now accept asa fact that it inhabits Duke-of-York Island, whence specimens have been
forwarded by Mr. Brown to Dr. Sclater ; and future research will doubtless extend its range to New Ireland.
Mr. Elliot also believes that it mbhabits the Solomon Islands, as he considers that the P. solomonensis described
by the late Mr. G. R. Gray is only the young of P. rivoli.

The present bird belongs to the white-banded section of the genus Péidopus, which includes also P. prasinor-
rhous of New Guinea and the neighbouring groups of islands, and P. strophium of the Louisiade archipelago.
The latter bird, however, has no rose-coloured spot on the abdomen, and is therefore easily distinguished.
P. prasinorrhous has the vent and under tail-coverts green, edged with yellow, whereas in P. rivoli these
parts are bright yellow.

I transcribe the following detailed description given by Mr. Elliot in his paper on the genus :—

« Male. Forehead purplish red ; breast crossed by a broad white band; a large rose-red spot on the
ler tail-coverts bright yellow ; rest of plumage bright

abdomen ; lower part of abdomen, crisssum, and unc
In its dimensions this species agrees

green, with some small, round, bluish-black spots on the scapulars.
with P. prasinorrhous.
“ Female. General plumage bright green.”
Lam indebted to Dr. Sclater for the loan of the beautiful pair of birds of which I have drawn life-sized
cted in Duke-of-York Island by Mr. G. Brown; and I

figures in the accompanying Plate. They were colle

have other specimens from the same source in my own collection.