(JKOPELIA. 121 



delicii(f: (/rei/, irhi/isli. on tlf. //iroaf nuil /lasaiui/ into pnrf, n'/ii/euu lln' <il/:/oini>n ainl uni/i'.r lail-corrrU ; 

 bill black ; Ifys and feet jleshii-ioliUn : skin urniinil tlif. fij'' scarl'l, th", iris slti/ht/i/ ildrker. Total 

 leniftli in tin' fb'sh S inclifs, iving -I'S, toil 4< bill 0'4, tarsus O'o.J. 



Adilt FKMAlyK. — Similar in /ihintoye to t/ie inah'. 



Z>/^7/■(/'((/i((/^. —North-western Australia, Northern Territory of South Australia, Queensland, 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Central Australia, Western Australia. 



^i^HE Little Turtle Dove is found over the ^'reater portion of the Australian Contuient, but 

 is more sparingly distributed in the extreme south-eastern portion. The late Mr. 

 T. H. Bowyer-Bower and Mr. E. J. Cairn procured specimens near Derby, North-western 

 Australia. Mr. G. A. Keartland obtained examples at the Finke River and Heavitree (iap, 

 in Central Australia, while a member of the Horn Scientific Expedition in 1^94. In 1896-7, 

 while a member of the Calvert Exploring Expedition in Western Australia, he remarks that 

 beyond Lake Way it was distributed in hundreds as the caravan passed along, and specimens 

 of birds, nests and eggs were obtained about five miles from the junction of the Fitzroy and 

 Margaret Rivers, in North-western Australia. At Point Cloates Mr. Tom Carter also noted it 

 in large flocks during the summer months, and found it breeding from the late autumn until 

 the early spring montlis. In the Northern Territory of South Austiaha it was procured by the 

 late Mr. Alexander Morton at Port Essington, and in Queensland the late Captain Armit obtained 

 specimens at Dunrobin, m the Gulf District, Mr. R. Grant in the Cairns District, the late Mr. 

 J. Rainbird examples from I'ort L^enison, and Mr. H. (}. Barnard found it breeding freely at 

 Coomooboolaroo. Specimens have been procured from all parts of the western portion of New 

 South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. 



In New South Wales it is almost strictly an inhabitant of the western and north-western 

 portions of the State. It frequents chielly the neighliourhood of ri\ers and permanent water. 1 

 first obtained these birdson theGwydir River, near Moree, in November, 1S97, where specimens 

 were procured from which the foregoing description was taken. They were feeding on the 

 ground, and on my llushing them they tlew into the lower branches of a Eucalyptus. Later on 

 again 1 observed this species in October on tlie Castlereagh River, near Coonamble. In both 

 of these localities they were in pairs, but of course it was during the breeding season. That 

 it also occurs at times in large flocks is proved by the hundreds of caged birds I noted, in the 

 old George-street Markets, trapped in the western portion of New South Wales. I have 

 never observed it near Sydney, but it is sometimes driven to the coast, generally during periods 

 of drought inland. There are specimens in the Australian Museum Collection procured at 

 Sydney in i860, and at Hornsby and Liverpool in i8g6. 



Although the smallest representative of the Columb.e inhabiting Australia, the mournful 

 note of this species can be heard a considerable distance away. 



The crops and stomachs examined contained very small seeds mixed with fine gravel. 



In a large number of specimens now before me the entire head and hind-neck of some are 

 of a delicate grey ; in most, however, the nape and hind-neck is more or less washed with pale 

 brown. The wing-measurement of adult males varies from 3-7 to y'6 inches, and specimens 

 from Derby, North-western Australia, are precisely similar to skins procured in New South 

 Wales. 



From Bimbi, Duaringa, Queensland, Mr. H. G. Barnard wrote: — "The Little Turtle 

 Dove {Gi\'pcUa amenta) is only a casual visitor in these parts, and I only once remember it 

 breeding m this locality. This was after the long drought of 1902 ; the rains were late in coming, 

 not commencing till March of 1903, when copious rains fell, causing a great growth of grass. 

 At the end of April the Little Turtle Dove appeared in hundreds, and by June was breeding 



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