lifESTS AND EGGS OF AX'STRALIAN BIRDS. 66/ 



in the viduity. Tlie uest was a spriugy platform, constructed of vine 

 teudiils, and was placed in a biioyong sapling. 



An authenticated nest and egg were subsequently forwarded to 

 me by Mr. W. T. Bailey, Kichmoud River. They were taken by 

 Mr. Isaac Foster, on the 2nd Febniaiy, 1897, in a black myrtle, at the 

 height of about fifteen feet from the ground. Newly-Iiatched young 

 have been observed in the same distiict about the middle of November. 



Regarding this large Pigeon in Northern Queensland, Mr. Kendall 

 Broadbent's testimony is : — " The Magnificent Fniit Pigeon, or Wompoo 

 of the blacks, is common in all the river and mountain scrubs of the 

 district, though it is to be observed that it is of rather smaller size 

 than its representative in Southern Queensland, while not so small as 

 M. assiinilis, which is found to the north. The Wompoo breeds in 

 January, and for its nest fixes five or six twigs. Two ( ?) eggs are laid 

 at a sitting. The site of the nest is frequently a mountain gully. 

 The bird does not take to the ground. In the fiiiit sea-son hundreds 

 of these beautiful birds collect in the scinibs of the Tully and Murray 

 Rivers." 



In Carl Lumholtzs work, " Among Cannibals " (1890), tlie author 

 states he saw several nests of the Purple-breasted Frait Pigeon in the 

 mountains, built near tlie outer end of a branch. Tlie nest was 

 carelessly constructed — simply a few sticks. Lumholtz never found 

 more tlian one egg in these nests. The natives, who are fond of 

 eating the yoimg, generally shake them down. 



536. — Meg.\l(jpkepi.\ assimilis, Gould. — (455) 

 ALLIED FRUIT PIGEON. 



figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 67. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxi., p. 168. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — North: Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S. Wale.s, 

 vol. ii., 2nd ser., p. 410 (1S87) ; Le Souef : Proc. Roy. Soc, 

 Victoria, vol. vii., new ser., p. zi, (1895). 



Geijijruiihirnl Di^trihiifion . — North Queensland. 



yesf. — A platform of small twigs, about four inches in diameter ; 

 usually placed at a height of from ten to fifteen feet from tlie gi'ound, 

 in a small tree, frequently overhanging a stream, in thick scrub. 



Ecjgs. — Clutch, one usually ; shape varies from an ellipse to long 

 oval ; texture of shell comparatively fine, except the smaller end, which 

 is granular ; surface sUglitly glossy, but tiny nodules appear here and 

 there in some examples. Dimensions in inches: (1) 1-44 x -96. 

 (2) 1-41 X 1-04. 



Observations. — This brilhant Fruit Pigeon is a northern and smaller 

 variety of the Purple-breasted Fruit Pigeon, and is found chiefly in 



