_Pigeons sauvages d'un rouge roussastre_ Le Sieur D.B., Voyages aux
Iles Dauphine ou Madagascar, etc., p. 171 (1674--Bourbon).
Talking of Wild Pigeons, "Le Sieur D.B." tells us that there were on the
island of Bourbon "others of a russet red colour, a little larger than
European pigeons, with the beak larger, red at base near the head, the eyes
surrounded by a fiery colour, as in the pheasants. At a certain season they
are so fat 'qu'on ne leur voit point de croupion;' they taste very good."
This passage cannot be meant for a turtle-dove, but the description of the
bill and surrounding of the eyes shows that it refers to a form allied to
_Nesoenas mayeri_. The latter, however, is not entirely russet red, but the
head, neck, underside and back are creamy white, washed with a greyish-rose
colour. Therefore the bird mentioned by Le Sieur D.B. was evidently a
representative of N. _mayeri_ or Bourbon. I name it in memory of Monsieur
Dubois, who was the author of the Voyages of the "Sieur D.B."
Habitat: Bourbon or Réunion.
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