_Remarks._--The Philippine Turtle Dove was introduced from the
Philippines to Guam and other islands of the southern Marianas by the
Spanish probably in the 18th Century; it was in 1771-1774 that the
Philippine deer (_Rusa_) was introduced to Guam. Perhaps these birds
were initially introduced as caged birds or possibly were liberated to
offer hunting for the colonial governors. They have been a very
successful introduction and are well established. At Guam (see Baker
1947b:124), this species comprised 15.5 percent of all birds seen along
roadways. Although open areas appear to be preferred by this dove and
although it may be on the increase owing to the clearing operations of
the war effort, it appears to be equally adapted to forested areas and
coconut groves. It feeds on the ground to a large extent, fitting into
an ecologic niche which few other species of birds of the islands
occupy. It was even observed feeding on sandy beaches and tidal flats at
low tide.
In 1931, Coultas found the dove to be numerous at Guam, but thought that
it was in danger of extinction at Tinian and Saipan owing to extensive
hunting. Downs (1946:96) reported that in 1945 the dove was abundant at
Tinian. Gleise (1945:22) estimated the population of these doves at 300
on Tinian in 1945. From the remarks of Stott (1947:526), we may assume
that the population at Saipan is in no immediate danger of extinction.
A comparison of specimens from the Marianas with those from the
Philippines reveals no significant difference between the two. Bonaparte
described the dove in the Marianas as new, naming it _Streptopelia
gaimardi_. The name _Turtur prevostianus_ has been used by some authors
to denote the dove in the Marianas, but this was through error as
explained by Salvadori (1893:410). This name refers to a dove found on
Marianne, an island of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.
=Gallicolumba canifrons= (Hartlaub and Finsch)
Palau Ground Dove
_Phlegoenas canifrons_ Hartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc.
London, 1872, p. 101. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.)
_Phlegoenas canifrons_ Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp.
5, 27, pl. 5, fig. 1 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth.
Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und
Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 57 (Pelew);
Hartert; Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 61 (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f.
Ornith., 1901, p. 113 (Palau); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds
Micronesia, 1922, p. 53 (Pelews).
_Phlogoenas canifrons_ Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877, p.
112 (Pelew); Salvadori, Ornith.] Papuasia, 3, 1882, p. 169
(Pelew); _idem_, Cat. Birds British Mus., 21, 1893, p. 592
(Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7,
1895, p. 227 (Palaos); Bolau. Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg,
1898, p. 68 (Palau); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 2, 1904, p. 772 (Pelew).
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