\-2i\ 



I'lClUM hliin.l',. 



Kiver L^istrict, it may still be found in the vicinity of Grafton, and is by no means a rare bird 

 about Copmanhurst and the scrubs west of that township. It spends most of its time on the 

 f;round, and when disturbed flies swiftly away. Its loud swellinf,' cooing note can be heard some 

 distance, and I am pleased to record it has held its own a,^ainst the march of civilization better 

 than any other of our Pigeons. I ha\e found its nest and eggs many times ; it is sometimes 

 placed on a low scrubby bush or tree from six to fifteen feet from the grouml, or a cluster 

 of vines, and not infrequently in the introduced Lantana bush. One nest found was in the 

 centre of a Stag-horn fern. They are early winter breeders. I ha\ e fcjund most of my nests 



diirini; |uni', |iily and .\ugust, 

 but some breed all the year 

 round, ha\ing seen eggs or 

 young hirtis during every 

 month. The nest is a very 

 frail structme, and two eggs 

 are always laid for a sitting. 

 I have taken eggs on the 3rd 

 May, the 2nd, 7th, .Sth, loth, 

 14th and ii|th June, the loth 

 and 14th |uly, 2f'ith August, 

 the Xih and 27th October, 

 and the i8th and 20th Decem- 

 ber. From the nest I took a 

 set of two eggs on the 3rd 

 June, 1896, I took a second 

 set of eggs, hard sat upon, on 

 the loth |une following." 



The nest is usually a scanty 

 and almost flat structure of 

 thin twigs placed crosswise, 

 or loosely interlaced together, 

 and is built at the junction of 

 several thin leafy horizontal 

 branches, or on a mass of 

 \ ines, or on top of a fern 

 growing on a tree, an average 

 one measuring externally 

 seven inches and a half in 

 diameter. The height from the 

 ground usually varies from 

 six to hfteen feet. One taken 

 by Mr. George Savidgeon the 

 (jth November, i8i)8, contain- 

 ing two eggs, during my stay 

 at Copmanhurst, was built on the thin lichen-covered stems of a shrub, eight feet from the 

 ground, and the eggs were visible through the bottom of the nest. The accompanying illustra- 

 tion is reproduced from a photograph taken by Mr. Savidge of a nest and eggs found by him 

 on top of a Stag-horn fern, at Copmanhurst, in June 1901. 



The eggs are two in number for a sitting, varying from oval to an ellipse in form, and of a 

 uniform pale cream, the shell being close-grained, smooth and slightly lustrous. 



NK.V1 UK LriTI.E (iRKKN-WIXGKII I'KiEON r:UlLT ON FERN. 



