PHAI'S 



A set of two taken on the I4tli January, i8y2, by Mr. W. J. Ciinie, at Murwilluniliah, on 

 the Tweed River, New South Wales, measures: — Len^^th (A) i-i8 x 0-83 inches; (L!) ri x 

 0-82 inches. A set of two taken on the 7th June, 1896, liy Mr. George Savidge, at Copmanhurst, 

 on the L'pper Clarence River, measures :— Length (A) 1-12 x 0-87 inches; (B) 1-3 x q-8 

 inches. A set of two in Mr. Savidge's collection, taken by him in Hackett's Scrub, Copman- 

 hurst, on the 8th October, 1899, are of the usual pale cream colour, and measure :— Length 

 (A) 1-15 X 0-87 inches ; (I!) i-i8 x 0-87 inches. 



There is apparently no fixed breeding season in I<:astern Australia, for nests with eggs or 

 young may be found throughout the year. 



At Port Keats, in the extreme north-western portion of the Northern Territory of South 

 Australia, and close to the border of North-western Australia, Chahophnps ociidcntalis occurs. 

 It is allied to the present species, from which it may be chiefly distinguished by the lilac- 

 mauve colour of the head, hind-neck and upper back, the bronze-green colour of its wings and 

 the larger white shoulder patch. 



Phaps chalcoptera. 



BRONZE-\VIN(j. 



Cohunh,, rlmloiph'm, Lath,, hid. (;)rn., Vol. H., p. 004 (1790). 



I'rrig/^ni c/ia!<;ij)feni, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. V., pi. 64 (1848). 



P/,a/,s chalcoptera, Gould, Handbk. Hds. Austr., Vol. II., p. 12:i (186.5); Salvad, Cat. Bds. IJrit. 

 Mus., Vol. XXI., p. .V20 (1893); .Sluirpe, Hand-I. Bds., Vol. I., p. 81 (1899). 

 Amil.T VALK. — GVurral colour ahoce hroau, the feathers of the back and rump, the scajmlarg and 



the „pp.-r tail coverts havimi paler margins .- quills hronn, with whiiy-browu ed</es, the inner series 



of the seroudaries hamug a spot 0/ metal Ha green on the centre of the outer webs: upper wing-coverts 

 rey. brou-u at the base, the outer series with an oblong spot of rich coppery-red on their outer webs, 

 -dchanying into a lustrous bronze-green on the inner series; two central tail-feathers brown, the 

 •naiuder grey, crossed with a band of black towards the lip ,■ forehead fuhons-white : a band across 



the crown of the head, and extending along the sides of the occiput dull purple ; lores blackish ; a line 



under the ege, extending over the ear-coverts dull white .- cheeks ear-coverts and sides of the neck grey ; 



chin and upper throat buffy whit-. ; foreue,k and breast vinous, changing into vinous-grey on the 



abdouieu and under tail-coverts; nuder wing-coverts and inner ivebs of quills light rufous-cinnamon ; 



bill blackish-grey; legs midfeet rich coral-red; iris dark brown. Total length in the fesh 1/f inches, 



wing S, tail '>;5, bill 0;S, tarsns 005. 



Adult VV.^ixlR— Duller in cnlou.r thou the male, having the forehead grey and only a slight 

 indication of the dull purple band across the crown of the head awl along the sides of the occiput. 



Z)i»^-JAu<Jo«.-North-western Australia, Northern Territory of South Australia, Queensland, 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Central Australia, Western Australia,~'Tasmania.' 

 AC5^F all the Australian Pigeons no species is better known than the common Bronze-wing, 

 V-/ for it is generally distributed over most parts of the continent, and is likewise found Xn 

 Tasmania. Afifording at all times in the season splendid sport, for the flight of this beautiful 

 pigeon is very rapid, it is much sought after, and m districts where these birds are fairly common 

 it is not unusual for a shooter to secure several pairs before breakfast. Early in the morning is 

 the best time to secure them, for during the day they resort chiefly to the thick scrub or 

 sandy flats, studded with pines, sheoaks and wattles. Although usually a wary bird, they may 



9 



an 



rema 



