3S 



lilKII GAI.LKKV. 



Family III. Columbid.I!. 1'r;i:o.\s. 



jff'ocfi '^1"* family includes all the remaining species of tlic order. Of the 

 Ground Pigeons exhibited we may specially mention the Giant Crowned 

 Pigeons (Govra) (208, 209), the (irey-naped Ground-Pigeon (O/idip/iajix 

 rerric(ilis) (210) from New Gniuea, lield by some to be an ally of 

 Didunmhis, the Nicobar Pigeon (Calwiias nicobarica) (213) with its 

 remarkable metallic plumage and long neck-haekles, the Wonga-wonga 

 [Lt'ttcv:<fir(i(i picata) (214) from East Australia, and the beautiful 

 Bartlett's Blood-breasted Pigeon {Phloi/a'iias crinigera) (215) from the 

 I'liilippines. Jn all these it will be noted the length of the leg is very 

 conspicuously greater than in the tree-hauuting type of Pigeon. 



[Ciise 10.] Above these will be seeu the beautiful Bronze-winged Dove 

 {C/ialcop/iapx iiidica] (227), and the diminutive Long-tailed African Dove 

 ( CEna capcnstis) (228), one of the smallest of all the Pigeons. Next come 

 the more familiar species belonging to the genera Tiirtitr and Columhu. 

 Of the former the Turtle-Dove (T. turtur) (231) may be specially 

 mentioned, and ol the latter the Stock-Dove (237), the Rock-Dove (238) , 

 and the Wood-Pigeon (239), all common species in the British Isles. 

 The Rock-Dove is noteworthy, as from this s]iecics all the domesticated 

 varieties have been derived. The handsome Rcinwardt's Cuckoo-Dove 

 [Ediiivardtu'inis reiiiwardti) (240) and the Passenger Pigeon [Ectop'istes 

 migratoriiis) (241), of Eastern North America, complete the more 

 noticeable species in this Case. The latter species is now almost extinct, 

 though only a kw years ago it was met with in such countless flocks 

 that a colony seen by the naturalist Wilson on one occasion was ' 

 estimated to consist of more than 2,230 millions ! As late as 1878 a 

 "roost" of these birds, at Petosky in Michigan, occupied an area twenty- 

 eiglit miles long by three or four broad. During the nesting season 

 millions of birds are said to have been slaughtered without producing 

 :uiy appreciable reduction in their numbers. 



■Case 20. Resplendent colours are characteristic of the Fruit-Pigeons, though 

 green may be said to be the predominant tone. Some, such as the 

 Cliatliam Island form {Hemijihagu chalhunn-nsis) (249), exhibited on the 

 Hoor of this Case, are of large size, and a curious crested species, 

 Lopholamus aniarcticvs (248) from New South Wales, will be found 

 rear it. The Nutmeg-Pigeon {Mynsticivora bicolor) (250) from the 

 Malay Archipelago is a striking form, pure white with the flight-feathers 

 and tip of the tail black. Among the more brilliantly coloured forms 

 are the Orange Fruit-Pigeon {Chrysmnas victur) (262) from the Fiji 

 Islands, and the Jambu Fruit-Pigeon {Ptilopvs jantbu) (271) from 

 Borneo. The Rcd-crowncd Pigeon [Alectrmnas jmhherrma) (261) 

 from the Seychelles represents a remarkable little group, one of which, 



