114 MACROPVi:lIN,K. 



parts and the extent of the metallic ^'o^s on the feathers on the nape and hind-neck", which in 

 some specimens extend on to the sides of the neck. 



Mr. I'rank llislop writes me as follows: — " In the IMoomfield River District, North-eastern 

 Queensland, the Lar<^e-tailed l^iyeon is found both in the timbered flats or forest lands, and in 

 the scrub near the tops of the hills. These birds live principally on seeds and berries, and are 

 very fond of small chilies. I have only seen one pair nesting, and they had their nest on the 

 top of a Stag-horn I'"ern. As I had not then commenced to collect nests and eggs, I did not 

 climb the tree the fern was growing on, so do not know the number laid for a sitting." 



Mr. Robt. Grant handed me the following note: — "1 foimd the Large-tailed Pigeon 

 ( Macropvfiia pliasidiitlla ) plentifully distributed in the open parts near the edge cf the scrub on the 

 Bellinger River, in the north-coast district of New South Wales. These birds are chielly terres- 

 trial in habits, resorting principally in this district to the berries of the Ink--weed, wild Raspberry 

 and Cape Gooseberry. They are far from shy, when lUishetl usually settling again on the nearest 

 liranch to watch the intruder. In the southern part of tlie State I ha\e shot these Pigeons on 

 the Cambewarra mountains, in the Shoalhaven District. In company with Mr. E. J. Cairn I 

 found it also freely distributed throughout different parts of the Mulgraxe and Russell River's 

 scrubs and on Mount ISellenden Ker, North-eastern Queensland." 



Mr. H. G. Parnard writes me from Bimbi, Duaringa, Queensland: — " I do not know much 

 of the breeding habits of Mncropygia phasiancUa, but found two nests on the ranges of the 

 Mulgrave River, Cairns; one nest contained a single young one, in the other was a small carpet 

 snake coiled round the Pigeon, which was quite dead. The latter nest was found by seeing the 

 broken egg on the ground. Both nests were built on top of the tree ferns, where the leaves 

 grow out. In iHSg, when on an expedition to the Pellenden Ker Range with Mr. A. Meston, 

 we found these birds breeding on the tree ferns high up the ranges; this was in Pebruary, and 

 the nests all contained young." 



Mr. H. R. Elvery wrote me as follows from Alstonville, New South Wales, under date 

 14th December, 1909 : — " Some years ago Macvopygia pliaiianclta was plentiful in the big scrub 

 district of the Richmond River, feeding on the berries of the Ink-weed. The Large-tailed 

 Pigeon is credited with laying one egg invariably for a sitting, and as a general rule this is true, 

 and applies eijually to all the fruit-eating Pigeons. It is rather remarkable, howe\er, that the 

 first two nests I found each contained two eggs. The nest is placed in an upright fork, and not 

 on a horizontal limb, as in the case of most Pigeons. A nest I found on joth November, 1897, 

 built in the fork of a tree thirty feet from the ground, contained one egg. Another season I took 

 a single egg, partly incubated, and also found a nest containmg one young bitd." 



Prom Copmanhurst, New South Wales, Mr. George Savidge sent me the following notes : — 

 "The Large-tailed Pigeon [Macropvgia pJiasiaiuUa) is sparingly distributed over the Clarence 

 River District. I ha\e seen it about the small scrubs in the vicinity of Grafton, Copmanhurst 

 and the Upper Clarence. Its food consists of berries, fruit of all kinds, wild cherries, and it 

 is particularly fond of the black berries of the Ink-weed, which makes its appearance in the 

 patches cleared and burnt by the settlers. When disturbed it alights with spread-out tail in the 

 scrub trees close by, and is an easy victim ; its powers of flight seem small, and when followed 

 Hies from tree to tree; its call is a loud ' coo-coo-coo,' kept up for a long time, and is a deeper 

 note than the Wonga Pigeon. In the thick scrub its quietness is often the means of saving 

 it from the shooter, who passes it bv unobserved. I have found several of their nests ; 

 they are usually placed in the main fork of scrub trees, ten to twenty feet from the ground, and 

 are quite solid, deep, bulky structures; one egg is usually laid, but the blacks say they 

 sometimes lay two. The aborigines call this pigeon ' Colola.' 



Por an opportunity of making known the nest and egg of this species I was indebted to Mr. 

 W. J. Grime, who, in the brushes of the Tweed River found a nest placed in a mass of Lawyer 



