66? NESTS AND EGGS Of AC ST KALIAN BUWS. 



During my visit to the " Big Scmb " of Richmond River, New South 

 Wales, in 1891, I noticed many of these beautiful Red-crowned Fruit 

 Pigeons, and although I sought diligently for a nest, as in the case of 

 the rare Rifle Bird, I returned home without it. However, in 1897, I was 

 enabled to describe tlie nest and eggs of this Fruit Pigeon from speci- 

 mens kindly forwarded to me by Mr. W. T. Bailey. The nest was taken 

 with a considerable amoimt of risk and difficulty by Mr. Isaac vFoster, 

 in a buoyong sapling, at the height of about fifty feet from the gi-ound. 

 Date, 31st November, 1896. A second nost, containing an egg, was 

 found by Mr. Bailey, 5th of Febraary following. 



The call of the Red-crowned Fi^uit Pigeon is remarkably loud for so 

 small a bird, being a, single " coo " repeated twelve or thirteen times — 

 accelerando diminuendo, as a musician would say, the first few "coos" 

 being slow and measured, then uttered more rapidly each time till the 

 last notes almost run into each other; at the same time the tones 

 become softer and almost inaudible, as if tlie bird were some distance 

 away. 



It is said that this Fiiiit Pigeon is rarely found upon the ground, but 

 one morning I flushed a pair from some inkwced. They perched 

 quite close to me — a loving, mated pair, with almost erect carriage, and, 

 with pardonable pride, displaying their richly-coloured breasts. The 

 female appeared generally lighter in colour, while the colouring on her 

 breast was not so brilliant as on her mate. Their light gi'cenish ch-ess 

 blended into the greyish head with a crimson-coloured cap or crown. 

 Ihe chest and neck were most beautifully hackled with greenish-grey, 

 while the gi'eenish flanks and abdomen were enriched by a patch of orange 

 and purple in the centre. The eyes of this little feathered gem were soft 

 orange set in yellomsh-green eyelids. Feet and short bill were also 

 greenish. 



Respecting this fine little Fruit Pigeon in more northern quarters, 

 Mr. Kendall Broadbent states: — " Swainson's Fruit Pigeon (Ptilopns 

 xwdinnoni ) is to be found in all the Caidwell scrubs in September, 

 while on its summer migi-atory journey southward. The time of its 

 return to the Cape York district is March, and it is most abundant there 

 during the winter months following, being quite absent in summer. The 

 bird does not breed at Cardwell, its passage through this part being 

 merely a stage of its journey to South Queensland, which it reaches in 

 October. Being a true fniit eater, it is to be found in the scnibs whicli 

 clothe the ranges and border tlic rivers all the way from Clarence Rivir 

 to Cape Yoi-k, and is not piocurabk- in inland scrubs, such as at Chin- 

 chilla and Barcaldine. It lives to a large degree on the figs, &c., in tlie 

 scrubs, the little yellow fig seeming toi be most favom'ed. In this district 

 the Pigeon feeds in company with M. rmximi/ix, a congener, and the 

 Yellow Fig Bird (Sjili/rofhrres ) on a wild fig wliicli attains perfection in 

 May. Occasionally, so loath arc they to retire from the ri])e berries, 

 that I have been enabled to confine my shooting operations to one com- 

 paratively small fig-tree for the day. The bird is most prolific. An 

 idea of its abundance at this place may be obtained when I mention that 

 I have obtained nine brace, besides numbei-s of other birds, before an early 

 breakfast." 



