566 NESTS A. YD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



535. — Megaloprepia magnifica, Temminck. — (454) 

 PURPLE-BREASTED FRUIT PIGEON. 



figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 58. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxi., p. 167. 



Previous Descripiions oj Eggs. — Diggles : Companion Gould's Hand- 

 book, p. 59 (1877) ; North : Rec. Austn. Mus., vol. iii., p. 16 

 (1897); Campbell: Victorian Naturalist, vol. .xiv., p. 5 (1897); 

 Le Souef : Ibis, p. 393 (1897). 



Geijyraijhical Dixtrihutimi. — Queensland aud New South Wales. 



Ned. — Substantial for a Pigeon, slightly concave, almost entirely 

 composed of wire-like tendrils of climbing plants, placed upon a founda- 

 tion of a few coarse twigs. Dimensions about 6 inches across by 2^ 

 inches in depth. 



E(j(js. — Clutch, one ; elongated in form, considerably pointed 

 towards the smaller end ; texture of shell somewhat granular ; surface 

 sUghtly glossy and irregular. Dimensions in inches: 1-77 x 105. 



O/ixf'i-LYifinns. — This splenchd large and highly-coloured Fruit Pigeon 

 thrives upon the fruits of the scrubs of the eastern coastal regions. 

 I first heard this bird's peculiar notes in the Cardwell Scrub, 1885. 

 Six years afterwards I renewed its acquaintance in the Big Scrub, 

 Richmond River, New South Wales. Here my companion brought 

 down a pair. How we achnired their handsome rich green 

 coats, brightened with almost a metallic sheen on the wings 

 and shoulders, the latter being spangled with j'ellow ! Tlie green 

 of the coats blends beautifully into the French-grey of the head, 

 which is relieved with dark-orange irides, or eyes, and a dull-red 

 bill tipped with orange. Turning one of the birds upon its back, we 

 find the whole of its breast of a rich plum-colour ; stomach and under 

 tail coverts yellowish-orange, with large hand-like greenish feet, well 

 formed for perching on trees. The bird was first named the Magni- 

 ficent Fruit Pigeon. By the dwellers of the scrub it is simply called 

 the Green Pigeon. The total length of the bird is about 1 7 inches, 

 and when ready for the pot it weighs 1 .', potmds, sometimes 1 'l pounds. 

 At certain seasons these birds are very fat, especially in June and July, 

 when the figs are ripest. On falling to the ground, when shot, the birds 

 often burst asunder. 



Although we could hear the hoarse, deep call of " wallock-a-woo " 

 in the thick leafy Ijovvers of the scrub, we rarely saw the birds, except 

 in the tamarind trees, where they were detected by the sparkling 

 orange colour of the underneath part of their wings, which they flapped 

 in order to balance themselves while feasting upon the bunches of 

 agreeable acrid fruit. Wc only found one nest of the magnificent 

 I'lU'plc-breastcd Fruit Pigeon. It was pointed out to us by scrub- 

 fallers, who saw the birds carrying the material for con.structioii, but 

 was subsequently deserted, probably on account of the scrul>falliug 



