330 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



THE PIGEONS. 



The Fruit Pigeons, as might be supposed, are not 

 very numerous in Australia, which contains no edible fruit, 

 but there are a good many of them in New Guinea, and 

 some other of the British possessions in the Pacitic. 



Fa ra i ly — Ca rpophagidce. 

 Genus — 



1. CarpopJiaga. C. liictuosa. Wiiite Fruit Pigeon. 



2. LopJioliiinus L. antarcticus. Double-crested Pigeon. 



3. Ptilopiis. P. sKpcrbiis. Superb Fruit Pigeon. 



The Double-Crested Pigeon is a remarkably fine bird 

 that is found in South-Eastern Australia. Gould met with it 

 in the basins of the Illawarra and Hunter Rivers. It is 

 strictly arboreal and gregarious in habit, and not very bril- 

 liant as to colour, but is rendered sufficiently conspicuous by 

 its curious double crest, the hinder part of which consists of 

 feathers at least twice the length of those in front. Silvery 

 grey is the colour of the crest and head and neck, with 

 dark lines where the latter is merged in the breast ; the 

 rest of the plumage is dark slate grej'", but the primaries 

 and secondaries are black. A wide grey band crosses the 

 middle of the tail, which also has a dark extremity. The 

 iris is red, and the feet reddish purple. 



The second division of the pigeon family is classified as 

 follows : — 



Sub-Family — Coluinbidiu. 

 Genus — 



1. Geopelia. G. tranquilla. Peaceful Ground Dove. 



G.placidcx. Placid Ground Dove. 



