A Manual of Philippine Birds. Richard C. McGregor
and short tail-coverts bright yellow; longer tail-coverts bright carmine, narrowly tipped with yellow; secondaries and greater coverts very narrowly edged with yellow. Eyelids, iris, and bill greenish yellow; feet rose-pink; nails brown. Length, 240. Two males from Basilan, wing, 123, 116; tail, 85; exposed culmen, 16, 15; middle toe with claw, 26.
Adult female.—Entirely green, except the under tail-coverts which are green, washed with carmine, and narrowly tipped with yellow. Two females from Basilan measure: Wing, 121, 118; tail, 79, 80; exposed culmen, 16, 14; middle toe with claw, 26, 25.
Young.—Similar to the adult female but with little or no carmine on under tail-coverts.
“This, the most northern form of the Spilotreron group, is very nearly related to the most southern one, from which it is not easily distinguished. The slight purple tinge of the black occipital spot, on which Dr. Meyer relies to separate the Basilan bird, appears only in certain individuals, but is absent in the majority of specimens. As to the collar of the bird from Banguey, which is described as whitish gray, I do not find that it is different from that of the specimens from other localities.” (Salvadori.)
“The blue spot on the nape on which Meyer relies to separate the Basilan birds is a minus quantity in our five specimens from that island, though they are in breeding plumage. This species is quite common in Sulu and Tawi Tawi, and is sometimes found feeding in isolated trees in open fields.
“Iris yellow; legs dark pink; feet same color; nails nearly black; bill and eye-wattle light greenish yellow. Length, 230; wing, 121; tail, 81; culmen, 33; middle toe with claw, 29.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Subfamily MUSCADIVORINÆ.
This group includes the largest species of forest pigeons.
Genera.
a1. Colors above, except head, metallic blue, green, purple, or bronze; or the tail at least metallic green above.b1. First primary not scooped on inner web; lower parts uniform in color. Muscadivores (p. 42)b2. First primary deeply scooped on inner web.c1. No light band on tail. Ptilocolpa (p. 45)c2. Tail crossed by a conspicuous gray band. Zonophaps (p. 48)
a2. Colors cream and slate; no metallic colors on any part of plumage. Myristicivora (p. 50)
Genus MUSCADIVORES Gray, 1855.
Inner web of first primary very slightly attenuated; gape deeply cleft; tarsus stout and feathered in front for half its length. Upper parts, except head and neck, metallic blue or green; tail nearly uniform with the back and wings, without a light band; head and lower parts pearl-gray or pale vinaceous-gray.
Species.
a1. Larger; back and scapulars glossy green or coppery bronze.b1. Nape with a coppery chestnut patch. nuchalis (p. 43)b2. Nape without a coppery chestnut patch.c1. Gray of mantle lighter and more sharply defined from the green back.d1. Upper surface of tail lighter and greener. chalybura (p. 43)d2. Upper surface of tail darker and bluer. palawanensis (p. 44)c2. Gray of mantle darker and less sharply defined. ænea (p. 44)
a2. Smaller; back and scapulars glossy brown with but little metallic color.b1. Under parts lighter. pickeringi (p. 44)b2. Under parts darker. langhornei (p. 45)
31. MUSCADIVORES NUCHALIS (Cabanis).
CHESTNUT-NAPED IMPERIAL PIGEON.
Carpophaga nuchalis Cabanis, Jour. für Orn. (1882), 126; Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1893), 21, 190; Grant, Ibis (1895), 116; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 487; Sharpe, Hand-List (1899), 1, 64.
Muscadivora nuchalis McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 11.
Calayan (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Fuga (Whitehead); Luzon (Whitehead); Mindoro (teste Hartert).
This species has been established on the character of a cupreous chestnut nape; otherwise it differs but slightly from M. chalybura with which it appears to intergrade. Its status is somewhat doubtful.
32. MUSCADIVORES CHALYBURA (Bonaparte).
BONAPARTE’S IMPERIAL PIGEON.
Carpophaga chalybura Bonaparte, Consp. Gen. Avium (1854), 2, 32.
Carpophaga ænea Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1893), 21, 190, 193 (part).
Muscadivora ænea McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 11 (part).
Baud, Bohol; bá-lud, Ticao, Manila, and in general use.
Bantayan (McGregor); Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Dinagat (Everett); Guimaras (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Leyte (Everett); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Meyer, Steere Exp., Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow, Celestino); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Schmacker, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor, Porter); Negros (Meyer, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Bourns & Worcester); Semirara (Worcester); Sibuyan (McGregor); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor); Verde (McGregor).
Very closely related to M. ænea but gray of hind neck and upper mantle lighter and more sharply defined from the metallic green of the back; tail with less blue tinge. Iris bright red; bill gray; legs and feet dull red.
A male from Mindoro measures: Length, 420; wing, 240; tail, 156; exposed culmen, 25; tarsus, 28.
A female from Ticao: Length, 420; wing, 232; tail, 147; exposed culmen, 24; tarsus, 25.
This is the common balud, or fruit pigeon, inhabiting the Philippines.
33. MUSCADIVORES PALAWANENSIS (Blasius).
PALAWAN IMPERIAL PIGEON.
Carpophaga ænea palawanensis Blasius, Ornis (1888), 4, 316.
Carpophaga ænea Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1893), 21, 190, 193 (part).
Muscadivora ænea McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 11 (part).
Balabac (Steere); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Palawan (Steere, Everett, Lempriere, Whitehead, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Very much like M.