Fi W
PTILINO PUg EWINGII, Gould.
„ - Ewing’s Fruit Pigeon.
Ptilinopus Ewingii, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 8, 1842.
T his lovely species, which is a native of the l ^ o ^ lir g Peninsula, 'andMoubtless ranges over the northern
coast of Australia' generally, differs firopi.-^^ra^^ing, ^Ptilinopus Swainsonii, Ihheing much smaller in all its
admeasur^^ms||in the colour ofTthe crown being rose-pink instead of%ri^mson-red^ in the breast being
pale greenish, grey instead of dull gre en; 'inKhavihg|tnel centre of the abdomen rich-orange instead of lilac ;
and aJso @Mfing the tail-feathers tipped with green||h»yellc>w instead of!clear?rich yellow. The specimens
taken were fully adulfc^andwere submitted!© dissection^^in order to ascertain
the sexes g ^ Mstequefitly I am fully convinced, that, although the }p ifs^ ^ ^ ffjp re ced in g species are very
nearly a ll^ v t ^ ^ ’s ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ a l l y distinct.
In naming the second Australian species of-this beautiful form,after the Rev. Thomas J . Ewing, at present
residing ^^^m^Mlihehvs. Land, I am 'actnaMdppv, audesire torpay a just compliment to one who is
perhaps more'th^ougnly*v^%^pa the^^^ucMjons" of w i ^ ^ ^ ^ t h i e interesting science of ornithology
than most other persons, and, although so'far ^emoved frdrnjlthe seats of knowledge, continues to prosecute
his studies with the utmbs£ardon4V ^ that, hov^^er qqjjectionable the naming
of species after individuals may be^ncferrordinaiy,circum|^nces, it will not in this instance be deemed an
inappropriate mode of evincing my sense of tl^&a^yladfflrable qualities of a highly esteemed friend.
Forehead and crown of the head rose-pink, bordered with ^ narro^liiie oftyellow, except in front; back
of the head and neck greenish grey; all the upper surface brigh^p^n)"''passing into deep blue on the
tertiaries; primaries, secondaries and tertiaries slightly margined w ( ^ y eM ^ ; tail largely tipped with
yellow, tinged ^ipip green, particularly on the two centre feathers;; chin pale yellbw; sides of the neck
greenish grey ; chest pale greenish grey, each feather forked at the end a n « f ^ e d V ith grey; below the
chest an indistinct band of sulphur-yellow; flanks and lower part o f'||ue '|^^pnen green; centre of the
abdomen rich orange, in th€ middle of which is a lunar-shaped mark p flila c ; under tail-coverts orange;
thighs and tarsi greeh > iriaes orange; feet dlive.
The figures are o f tBe' natural size.