PIGEONS. 



243 



tail, are shining grayish olive, sides and under tail-coverts rufous. It is a rare species 

 in museums, but not uncommon in the localities it frequents. 



Starncenas, the next genus, contains also but a single species, /& cyanoceplialus, the 

 blue-headed pigeon of Cuba, said sometimes to visit the Florida Keys. It is a hand- 

 some bird, of a general rich, chocolate hue, the top of the head bright blue, and the 

 throat, blackish, bordered with white. It lives upon the ground. Another o-enus 

 with a single species now follows, viz. : Calcenas. 



The C. nicobarica, which by some authors has been considered as representing a 

 separate family (called CALCENATID.E), is remarkable for the long plumes, like hackles, 

 which cover the neck and fall over the breast and back. It is widely distributed over 

 the eastern archipelago, feeds upon the ground, and, although it flies heavily, yet is 





FIG. 116. Starncenas cyanocepJialus, blue-headed pigeon. 



capable of. making very extended journeys, it having been captured at sea a hun- 

 dred miles from New Guinea. Scattered generally throughout the Papuan Islands, it 

 is nowhere very abundant, remaining mostly on outlying islets, where it would be 

 free from the attacks of animals. This pigeon has bred in the aviary of the Zoologi- 

 cal Society of London, a pair having taken possession of an artificial nest and laid one 

 white egg, which, after having been incubated for twenty-eight days, produced a young 

 bird, black and naked. On the feathers appearing, those of the tail were black and 

 remained so, although these in the adults were pure white. This form was described 

 as distinct by Gray as C. gouldii. 



Six or seven species are included in the next genus, Phlcegcenas ; very attractive 

 birds from the Papuan and Samoan Islands, among the most beautiful of which P. 



