Streptopelia, (Frivaldszky, 1838) (Frivaldszky, 1838)

STREPTOPELIA DECAOCTO DECAOCTO View in CoL .

It seems that Linneeus’s name risoria , long used for this bird, has been dropped on insufficient grounds. In the tenth edition Linnaeus’s description is “ lutescens, supra lunula cervicali nigra." He gives “ Habitat in India,” and adds “ nobis communis Turtur ." On the strength of his describing the “ lutescens ” and his upper parts as or yellowish reference to the bird being “ Dove,” i. our common e., cage Dove, this name for our Indian bird has been dropped. But, on the other hand, all the authors Linnaeus refers to— Aldrovandus, Ray, and Albin-clearly indicated our Indian bird. Moreover, quite another meaning can be applied to lutescens. It is not a classical Latin word, and might be derived from two sources lüteus, of a yellowish colour, or lüteus, of a clay-colourp-and, if the latter derivation is taken, then the description fits our Indian bird well.