13C fKIUSTKlUD*. 



Noilheni I'erritory ol S nitli Austialia ;ind N'i)itlieni (Queensland, are elli()tioal in form and 

 almost pure white. They measure : — Length (A) 1-2 x o-g inches ; (1!) ri^ x n-Sy inches. 



In (Queensland Mr. J. I!. White foiuid this species breeding on the Barcoo River during 

 fuly, iSfiS, and furtiier north Mr. Ghssan obtained these e^Ljs in (Jctober, 1908. Mr. Robinson 

 informed me they were breeding there in hundreds at the time. In Central and Western New 

 South Wales Mr. E. H. Lane and the late Mr. K. 11. Mennett respectively found it bleeding in 

 September and October. 



Geophaps scripta. 



PAKl'lMLXiK l!K<)\/,E-\VlX(i. 

 Viiliiuilm scripta, Teium., Trans. Linn. .Soc, Vol. X[ll., p. 127 (1S21 ). 



^r'l'o/i/ia/is scripla, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. V., pi. G7 (lf>^^;; i'L, HaiKll)k. Ih1,9. Auotr., Vol. 

 II., p. 130 (1.SG5) ; Salvad,, Cat. Hds. Brit. Mus,, Vol. XXF,, p. .'>:'.l (IS'.t:!) ; Sharpe, Hand 1. 

 r.d.s, Vol. I., p. 8.5 (1.S99). 



Aiil'l.T MALK. — (r'e/i.rral. co/oiir abdi'e hruivii ; quills mid u/>pfr ii'liiy-coperts broivii, the fanner 

 narroivly e.dijed extrriially, and the. latter broadly lipped, with ichity-lirotrn ; t/te ij)Ue.r webs of the iimer 

 (/rrnter iviiiy -coverts melidlic ijreen, jinssiny 11U0 t/reenishjmrple on the tips of the innermost feat)i"rs ; 

 central tail-feathers broivn, the remaind>'r hroinn broadly tipped tvith black : lores and sides of the 

 head' black ; a ii,arro)c line above the hn-es, a stripe from the base of the Imver mandible, and another 

 behind the lower portion of the orbital reijion pare white : a spot on. the side of the neck, aitd larye 

 (I Old-shaped Sjiot nn t/ie eliin anil throat, irjiite encircled irith black : cliest pale brown : centre of the 

 breast yrey, the sides while ; abdomen ligltt fawn colour ; nniler tail coverts blackish-browu eitaed irith 

 I iijht fawn colour ; bill black : leys and feel purplish-red : iris dark brown. 7'ot.al leiti/th in the Jtesli 

 hi hiches, ivinij 0, tail Jpo, bill OH, tarsus I'l . 



Adult fkmai.k. — Sinnlar in plnnuiye to the mah'. 



Distribution. — North-western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, North-eastern 

 portion of South Australia. 



r^tS a table delicacy the Partridge Bronze-wing, or "Sijuatter Pigeon "as it is more commonly 

 -L V. called, beautifully represents in the inland portions of (Queensland and New South 

 \\ ales its white-fleshed congener, Lcucosariia picata, of the coast and contiguous mountain ranges. 

 This tine Pigeon is at present more abundantly dispersed throughout Queensland than any 

 other State, although it was at one time numerous throughout the western districts of New 

 South Wales, but its numbers have considerably diminished of recent years, and it is now 

 seldom if ever seen. This is probably due to the stocking of the country with sheep, and the 

 consequent denudation of the various herbaceous plants and grasses, the seeds of which afiforded 

 this species a plentiful supply of food. .\n important factor, too, in clearing portions of this 

 immense area of its rich carpeting of herbs and grasses, is the ever increasing and rapidly 

 spreading army of rabbits, which is now and has been for many years past over-running this 

 part of the State. To this must be added periods of drought and bush fires, all of which 

 combined have assisted to reduce the area of the feeding and breeding grounds of this Pigeon, 

 or to drive it away from these districts. .Mthough confined chiefly to the inland portion of the 

 States, it is found, but not in such large numbers, comparati\ely near the coast in South-eastern 

 (.Queensland. It is, however, more generally distributed on the open plains inland, particularly 

 those intersected with rivers and creeks, and more or less covered with a sparse \egetation of 



