Part 67

Carpophaga oceanica Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ruk); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, pp. 330, 353 (Nukuor, Ruk); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 52 (Luganor, Ruk, Nukuor); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 8 (Ruk).

Globicera oceanica Salvadori (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 176 (Ruk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda (part), Tori, 1, 1915, p. 52 (Ruk).

Globicera oceanica teraokai Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 55 (Ruk, ?Mortlock, ?Nukuor); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 45 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 189 (Truk).

M[uscadivora] o[ceanica] oceanica Neumann (part), Verhandl. Ornith. Ges. Bayern, 25, 1922, p. 234 (Ualam = Truk).

Ducula oceanica teraokai Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. 43 (Truk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 212 (Truk); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, 1943, p. 11 (Truk); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Truk).

Geographic range.--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Truk, ?Lukunor, ?Nukuoro.

Characters.--Adult: Resembles D. o. monacha, but slightly darker on crown, nape, and mantle; back more bluish and less greenish, underparts slightly darker chestnut. Differs from D. o. townsendi by being paler and gray on crown, nape, shoulder, side of neck, and upper breast; abdomen and under tail-coverts slightly deeper chestnut. Differs from D. o. oceanica by larger size; upper parts paler; abdomen and under side of tail deeper chestnut. I agree with Amadon (1943:11) that this subspecies is only doubtfully distinct from D. o. monacha and that it might be advisable to unite these under one subspecific name.

Measurements.--Measurements are listed in table 27.

Specimens examined.--Total number, 14 (5 males, 9 females, 1 unsexed) from Caroline Islands, AMNH--Truk (Nov., Dec.).

Remarks.--The Micronesian Pigeon at Truk was observed by Kittlitz (1836:299) and later by Kubary at the islands of Lukunor and Nukuoro. Momiyama (1922:4) remarks that he did not see specimens from these two islands but concludes that they probably belong to the subspecies named from Truk. It is possible that birds at these two atolls have been exterminated, although adequate field investigations have not been made.

There is little information published concerning the natural history of this subspecies. McElroy, who visited Truk in December, 1945, did not find the bird; however, he did not visit all of the islands in the group during his stay.

=Ducula oceanica townsendi= (Wetmore)

Micronesian Pigeon

Globicera oceanica townsendi Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 191. (Type locality, Ponapé).

Carpophaga oceanica Finsch (part), Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 780 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 407 (Ponapé); Finsch (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 292 (Ponapé); idem, 1881, pp. 113, 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause (part), Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 281 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth (part), Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 52 (Ponapé); Matschie (part), Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Guam, error = Ponapé).

Globicera oceanica Salvadori (part), Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 176 (Ponapé).

Globicera oceanica townsendi Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 6 (Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 55 (Ponapé); Mathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 1, 1927, p. 45 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 190 (Ponapé).

Ducula oceanica townsendi Peters, Check-list Birds World, 3, 1937, p. 44 (Ponapé); Bequaert, Mushi, vol. 12, no. 2, 1939, pp. 81, 82 (Ponapé); idem, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 16, 1941, pp. 266, 290 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 212 (Ponapé); Amadon, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1237, 1943, p. 11 (Ponapé); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 289 (Ponapé).

Geographic range.--Micronesia: Caroline Islands--Ponapé.

Characters.--Adult: Resembles D. o. teraokai, but darker. Resembles. closely D. o. oceanica but larger and darker on crown and nape; lower parts slightly paler but chin more cream-buff in color. As Adamon (1943:11) states, there is little difference between D. o. townsendi and D. o. oceanica except in size.

Measurements.--Measurements are listed in table 27.

Specimens examined.--Total number 21 (11 males, 9 females, 1 unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM--Ponapé, 2 (Feb. 11, 12); AMNH--Ponapé, 19 (Nov. 22, 29, Dec. 1, 2, 3).

Nesting.--Coultas (field notes) writes that the pigeon at Ponapé nests the year around, probably two or three times a year. He describes the nest as being made of loose twigs and as placed on a fork of a limb in a tall tree. One egg is laid. Coultas saw "two or three" females nesting in December.

Parasites.--Bequaert (1939:81, 82 and 1941:266, 290) found the flies (Hippoboscidae), Ornithoctona plicata and O. pusilla, on pigeons from Ponapé.

Remarks.--Coultas (field notes) writes that in 1930 several Japanese made a livelihood as professional hunters of pigeons at Ponapé. He notes, "Two or three years ago, 4 or 5 Japanese, each, averaged from 75 to 100 birds per day, which they sold to the inhabitants for 35 sen (17-1/2 cents) per bird.... Now these same hunters are fortunate if they obtain 4 or 5 Ducula each per day and are able to do so only by starting before daylight and covering great distances. Other birds are now replacing Ducula on the market." Coultas further records in his notes that the hunters used calls to attract the pigeons. In 1930, Coultas regarded the pigeon at Ponapé as a rapidly disappearing species; he found it only in small areas in remote regions of the mountains. With the shipping of supplies cut off to the Japanese garrison forces at Ponapé, as well as at Kusaie, Truk, and Yap by the effective American blockade during the latter part of the war, it is probable that the pigeons were hunted more intensively by the Japanese hunting parties than ever before. Richards obtained two specimens at Ponapé in the period from August, 1947, to January, 1948.

=Ducula oceanica oceanica= (Lesson and Garnot)

Micronesian Pigeon

Columba oceanica Lesson and Garnot, Dict. Sci. Nat., éd., Levrault, 40, 1826, p. 316. (Type locality, Oualan = Kusaie.)