NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 665 



Eyga. — Cluteh, one usually ; elliptical iii form ; texture of shell 

 somewhat fine, excepting the smallei- end, which is sUghtly granular; 

 sm-facc glossy ; coloiu-, white, slightly toned or of a faint creamy tint. 

 Dimensions in inches : (1) 1-22 x -88. (2) M5 x -87. 



Observations. — This chai-ming ajid truly superb little Pigeon enjoys 

 a somewhat extensive range, but as far as the mainland is concerned 

 it is chiefly foimd in the scrubs of North and North-eastern Austx'alia. 

 It is about the s;imc size as the Red-crowned (Swainson) Fruit Pigeon, 

 but wears a darker green dress, has a baud of black below its greyish 

 breast, and a deep, rich, pmple patch on the crown of the head, which 

 appears only on the male bird. 



Dr. Ramsay described, in 1886, or rather re-described (having pre- 

 viously given a description of one from New Guinea) an egg of the 

 Superb Fiaiit Pigeon, taken by the late Mr. T. H. Bowyer-Bower in 

 the scrabs near Cairns, stating that " two only are laid for a sitting," 

 and that the eggs are " white." 



Mr. Kendall Broadbent, who also afiimis that tliis Pigeon lays 

 two eggs, states: — "The Superb Fruit Pigeon (Ptilopus superb us J, 

 unlike the first^mentioned (Swainson's), does not travel far south of 

 Cardwell. It remains at Cardwell from September to March, in large 

 numbers, and during the rest of the year is comparatively scarce. 

 At the Cape it is tolerably abundant for a short period — a month or 

 so about March — and then disappears altogether, for none winter at 

 Cape York. The note is very gruff, resembling the soimd ' wlioot ' 

 uttered at short intervals, and may be heard at a considerable distance 

 from the spot of its emission. The bird is arboreal, like Swainson's, 

 whose fruit-eating habits it also follows. Being veiy shy, it is rarely 

 found outside the scrubs. The nest is made in a small bush, and con- 

 strvicted loosely of a few sticks, which just sei-ve to retain the eggs 

 when laid. The usual clutch consists of two eggs, which are generally 

 visible to an observer from the grovuid. ' 



However, during his Bloomfield River trip, Mr. D. Le Souef 

 procured several nests of this beautiful Httle Pigeon, each with 

 a Singh egg only. Mr. Le Souef proceeds to say ; " We found one 

 nest with a yoimg bird in, built in a small shrub, about two feet fi-om 

 the ground, and another on 27th October on a small bush, which was 

 growing some two feet out of a crevice of a rock overhanging a preci- 

 pice, and it was with some difficulty that I managed to secure the egg." 



Writing again, Mr. Le Souef states : — " When in the open forest 

 countiy, several nests of the Purple-crowned Fiaiit Pigeon (P. mperhus) 

 were found. Their nests were always situated in some thick-leaved tree. 

 They were built near the ends of the branches, nearly hidden in the 

 foliage. In every case it was tlie male bird that was sitting on the 

 nest." 



Mr. H. Barnard's collecting efforts at Cape York during the season 

 of 1896-7 were richly rewarded as regards the eggs of this lovely 

 little Fruit Pigeon. One nest was foimd October 10th, two in Nov- 

 ember, three in January, and two on February 10th. The nests in 

 eveiy instance contained a single egg. 



Breeding season September to Februai-y. 



