f,54 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Nest and Eggs. — Undescribed. 



Observations. — The Black-banded Friut I'igeon was discovered by 

 Dr. Dahl near the South Alhgator River, Northern Territory, whore 

 it seems to be a very local species. Tv^o specimens (male and female) 

 were shot on the 15th June, 1895, from a flock found feeding on a 

 bon-jon tree (a species of Ficus). Theu- food is said to consist mainly 

 of the fruit of this tree. 



I may mention that Dr. Knut Dahl is a Norwegian uatui'aUst, who 

 visited North and North-west Australia dming the years 1894-5, col- 

 lecting natural lustory specimens for the Zoological Museum, 

 Christiania. Amongst other valuable items he discovered, much to 

 the intei-est of Australian ornithologists, were three species of birds 

 new to science. 



For the beautiful Pigeon vmder consideration Professor CoUett 

 has proposed the somewhat harsh name of uUigatur (after the region 

 in which the biid was found, no doubt) ; but on the vernacular hst 

 we may call it by the distinguishing title, Black-banded Fruit Pigeon. 



The following is Professor Collett's technical description ; — " Head 

 and upper neck wliite ; lower neck and chest whitish-cinnamon ; mantle 

 slate-black; lower back greyish-black, rump and upper tail coverts 

 clear grey, the latter inclining to whitish. Lower parts ashy-gfi'oy, 

 separated from the chest by a broad black baud ou the lower breast, 

 sharply defined against the chest. Wings slate-black, lower sui^face of 

 the quills grey, the coverts more greyish-brown. Tail slate-black, vrith 

 an ajiical greyish-white band about one and a-half inches in breadth ; 

 under siu-face of the tail clearer grey ; under tail coverts whitish. 

 Bill (in skin) light-coloured, the tips yellowish ; feet reddish." 



534. — Ptilopus superbus, Temminck. — (453) 

 PURPLE-CROWNED FRUIT PIGEON. 



I'igure. — Gould : Birds of AustraUa, fol., vol. v., pi. 57. 



Rejerence. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxi., p. 112. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Ramsay : Proc. Linn. See, N.S. 

 Wales, vol. viii., p. 28 (1883); Ramsay: Proc, Linn. Soc, 

 N.S. Wales, vol. i., 2nd ser., p. 1151 (1SS6) ; Le Souc-f : I'roc. 

 Roy. Soc, Victoria, vol. vii., new ser., p. 22 (1S95). 



(Icographical Distrihutiuii. — Northern Territory, Queensland, New 

 South Wales and Tasmania (casual); also New Guinea and adjacent 

 islands, and Moluccas. 



Nest. — A platform, about three inches in diameter, composed of 

 a few twigs. Usually .situated in scrub or in a small tree at a height 

 of from two feet to ten feet from the ground. 



