NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 65i 



ORDER— COL UMB/E: PIGEONS AND DOVES. 

 Sub=order— Columba : Pigeons. 



FAMILY— TRERONlDyE. 



Sub-family — PTiLopuDiNiE. 



531. — Ptulopus swainsoni, Gould. — (451) 

 RED-CROWNED FRUIT PIGEON. 



Figure. — Gould ; Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 55. 



Rejirenu. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxi., p. 95. 



Previous Description of Eggs. — Campbell ; Victorian Naturalist, 

 vol. xiv., p. 5 (1S97). 



Gidyraphical Distributmit. — Queensland and New South Wales, also 

 New Guinea. 



Nest. — A vei-y slight platform, or 6 inches across and about 2 

 inches in thickness, composed of dry twigs placed in a slender homontal 

 fork. The contents may be easily seen through the nest from beneath. 



Eijys. — Clutch, one; an elhpse in form; texttu'e of shell hue; surface 

 glossy; coloiu", white. Dimensions in inches: 1'16 x 'SI. A smaller 

 and narrower example measures : 108 x -73. 



Observations. — The various fmit-eating Pigeons, for the beauty of 

 their painted plumage, are amongst the most gorgeous of Austrahan 

 bkds. They inhabit chiefly the lu.xiu-iant scrubs of Eastern Australia. 



How delightful to stroll through these scrtibs at early morn ! The 

 CoachwliijJ Buds, with then- sharp, cracking sounds, are waking up every- 

 thing, and are heard with the sweet notes of Thickheads and Warblers 

 and the gurghng whistle of the Yellow-eared (Lewin) Honeyeater, 

 to an accompaniment of cooing Pigeons — notably the high-pitched con- 

 tinuous call of the Wonga-Wonga in contrast to the mufllcd and bass 

 notes of the Magnificent or Purple-breasted Fruit Pigeon hard by in the 

 leafy canopy. Aloft may be seen the Topknots' heads, where the .svm's 

 rays are also gilding the upper boughs of a tamarind-tree and 

 the bunches of acrid fruit upon which the Pigeons are feeding. The 

 discharge of my gim silences for a second or two all immediate sounds, 

 frightening a beautiful cock Regent Bird high over the track, wlule a 

 lovely pair of the Swainson Doves, or Red-crowned Wood Pigeons, falls 

 on the forest floor as the smoke of the murderous weapon hangs in the 

 damp morning air. 



