Part 21

"Exceedingly common in some localities. Frequents open ground surrounded by patches of second growth. When flushed it frequently alights in trees. Eyes yellow; legs and feet red. Length, 370; culmen, 19; wing, 165; tail, 184; tarsus, 22; middle toe with claw, 33." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

"Common among the mountains of north Luzon, and found nesting on the summit of Monte Data, where the large tracts of dead bracken ferns afford it good protection. I saw a young one nearly ready to fly on 28th of January on this mountain. This dove is also plentiful in the lowland forests, and is distributed throughout the Archipelago." (Whitehead.)

45. MACROPYGIA PHÆA McGregor.

DARK CUCKOO DOVE.

Macropygia phæa McGregor, Bull. Philippine Mus. (1904), 4, 9; Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2, sec. A, 338; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 13.

A-la-gá-dang, Calayan.

Batan (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor).

Adult.--Similar to Macropygia tenuirostris but larger and darker; cinnamon edgings on inner primary webs and rufous edging of wing-coverts narrower or obsolete. The sexes differ as in the preceding species.

Male (type).--Bill brown with reddish base; legs dark reddish brown; nails brown; iris of three rings, outer crimson, middle black, inner straw. Length, 413; wing, 198; tail, 198; exposed culmen, 18; tarsus, 24.

Female (type).--Colors of bill, legs, and eyes as in the male. Length, 406; wing, 196; tail, 195; exposed culmen, 18; tarsus, 22.

This species is rather abundant in Calayan; in habits it does not differ from Macropygia tenuirostris. The species is rare in Batan, Batanes, where a nest containing one egg was taken, June 12. The egg is pure white and measures 37 by 27.

Family PERISTERIDÆ.

Tarsus slender and unfeathered; bill slender and weak, gape small, nostril covering swollen; tail slightly graduated; colors plain or brilliant; size moderate.

Subfamilies.

a1. Plumage mostly brown, gray, and vinous; very little if any metallic color.

b1. First primary not greatly attenuated; no narrow cross-bars on neck and back; tail square or slightly graduated. ... Turturinæ (p. 54) b2. First primary abruptly attenuated; neck and back barred with narrow lines; tail graduated, longest rectrix exceeding shortest by more than twice the tarsus. ... Geopeliinæ (p. 57)

a2. Plumage largely metallic green or purple.

b1. Feathers of hind neck not elongated; tail not white.

c1. A gray band across rump and another across back; breast uniform. ... Phabinæ (p. 58) c2. No band across back nor rump; a large smear of orange or blood-red on middle of breast. ... Geotrygoninæ (p. 60)

b2. Feathers of neck long, narrow, and soft; tail pure white. ... Caloenadinæ (p. 64)

Subfamily TURTURINÆ.

Genera.

a1. Feathers of neck normal, not bifurcated; wing-coverts without shaft-stripes.

b1. Larger, length, 300 mm. or more; outermost rectrices with narrow white tips. ... Streptopelia (p. 54) b2. Smaller, length, 240 mm. or less; outermost rectrices with wide white ends. ... Oenopopelia (p. 56)

a2. Feathers of neck bifurcated; wing-coverts with dark shaft-stripes; edge of wing pale pearl-gray. ... Spilopelia (p. 56)

Genus STREPTOPELIA Bonaparte, 1854.

This genus is characterized by having a long, nearly square tail, but the outermost rectrix on each side is about 10 mm. shorter than the next feather.

46. STREPTOPELIA DUSSUMIERI (Temminck).