COLUMHA. 



Ill 



Family COLUMBID^. 

 Sub-family COLUMBINE. 



OenVLS OOIjTJIvIB.A., Linnnns. 



Columba leucomela. 



AVillTK-UEADED FKUlT-PHjEON. 



Cohnnha l.ncoiivla, Tpiihii., Trans. Linn. Hoc, Vol. XIII., p. 12G (1821; ; Salvad., Cat. Bds. Brit. 

 Mu.s., Vol. X.XI., p. :'.20 (1893) ; Sliarpe, HancM. Bds., Vol. I., p. 72 (1899). 



Ctrpophaija leucoiwla, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. V., pi. -",9 (1S48). 



L<>ucoui''l'nM uiirfolri'usi.f, Gould, Haiidbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. II., p. 112 (1865). 



Adult m.\LE. — (ren>'ral colour ahnre, inchn/ini/ Ihf /viuijs atul dtil, shitij-hlack, the fealhirn of Un' 

 hack, rtuii/i, x/ipir tall-corrrla, scitjniJars and inwr ImU of ih': iippfr iciag-cov.rts inaryiiu'd arounil 

 till- tips with metallic amethyst when held an- ly from the Hylit, awl (/renu when held toivards it, these 

 marc/ias heiny broader on the upper back; head, neck all round, breast and abdomen ivhite, the 

 fathers iin the Uucer portiini of tJo' himl-neck am'thyst colnnr irhen held in certain lights; flanks and 

 lower portion of the abdomen dark slaty ijrey ; under tail covert i ivlnte waslied with buff ; ^' bill for 

 In-o-thirds from the base, beautiful pink-red, corered ?vith a mealy su,bslance ; tip of tlie bill yellouHsIi- 

 white, tinijed irilh lilac; iris hirye and of a. rich yellowisJi hii\el in some specimens, redd ish-or any e 

 in others; iiaked skin of the orbits mealy pink-red ; feet bu.Jf, ivitli the scales pink-red and the nails 

 irliite" (Gould). Toted lenyth. 15 5 inches, winy 9 25, tail fl, bill ll'S2, tarsus 1. 



Adult female. — Similar in plnmaye to the mole. 



I >:itriliutioii. — Eastern Queensland, Eastern New South Wales. 



/~K\H1'L White-headed Fruit-Pigeon is essentially an inhabitant of the coastal brushes of 

 J_ Eastern Queensland and New South Wales, and is not found in the dry inland western 

 portion ot these States. Mr. Frank Mislop noted it on the Blooinfield River, in North-eastern 

 Queensland, Mr. Robert Grant procured it at Cairns, where also, on the Bellenden Ker Range, 

 Mr. A. Meston found it breeding high up on the mountains in February 1889; it occurs 

 throughout the southern coastal brushes of South-eastern (jueensland, and there are specimens 

 in the Australian Museum Collection procured at Moreton Bay by the late Mr. George Masters, in 

 1867. It is very common in the northern coastal districts of New South Wales, especially on 

 the Richmond River, where the late Mr. Jas. Cockerell procured a number of specimens, and 

 Mr. H. R. Elvery has found it breeding. Mr. Geo. Savidge procured specimens on the Clarence 

 River, where he also found it breeding. Mr. R. Grant noted it on the Bellinger River. Gould 

 found it numerous on Mosquito and other low islands near the mouth of the Hunter River, as 

 well as in the cedar brushes of the Liverpool Range. I have never seen it between the Hunter 

 and Hawkesbury Rivers, where so many species common to the northern coastal rivers are 

 found, although on very rare occasions it has been obtained at Port Hacking and Waterfall. 



Considerable variation e.xists in apparently adult birds of this species, some having the 

 under tail-coverts dull slaty-grey. Immature birds have the head and neck washed with buffy- 

 brown, breast and abdomen dull smoky-brown, sides of the breast slaty-grey, and the feathers 

 on the foreneck glossed with amethyst, and passing into metallic green on the lower sides of the 

 foreneck and upper back. Wing 8-5 inches. 



