OCVPHAl'H. 



U7 



specimens were obtained, and many birds shot for the pot. Dr. E. Ilartert has also recorded it 

 in " Novitates Zoolosicr," from North-western .Vustrah'a and the Northern Territory of South 

 Auslraha, and it is common in the western portions of Queensland, New South Wales, North- 

 western Victoria, and the northern parts of South Australia. It is strictly an inland species, 

 and is not found in the coastal districts. 



In New South Wales it is more sparingly distributed in the Central District than it is in 

 the western portions of the State. I first met with it on the Gwydii l\i\er in No\'ember, 1898, 

 where it is known to the Aborif^ines as the " Wirr-i-lah," from llie peculiar whirring noise made 

 by its winj^s durinj^ lli;;ht. In company with the late Mr. J. A. 'J'liorpe, we found this species 

 very common farther west on the Castlereat;h Ki\'er, about twenty miles north of Coonamble, 

 where it was breedin.t,' at the time of our \isit. It was always to be found in tlie vicinity of 

 tanks or dams, but during; the heat of the day it was conspicuous by its almost entire absence, 

 a few solitary birds heinf,' disturbed, probably while sitting;. About four o'clock these birds 

 used to come to the dain-^ to drink', and from then on to sundown could be seen feeding on the 



seeds of -grasses and herbaceous plants, or flying about 

 the larger gum-trees on the run, alighting chielly on the 

 dead lateral brandies. L'sually they were in small 

 Hocks of ten or a dozen birds, a few leaving the tree 

 on one's too near approach, followed generally by 

 single birtls, until all had left the tree. Many of them 

 were extremely wild, and would tly before one could 

 get within shooting range. A fine series, however, 

 was obtained, and the preceding desciiptions are taken 

 from some of the specimens procured. All the descrip- 

 tions ot the ditlerent species of Bronze-winged Pigeons 

 are taken from the finest examples in the collection. 

 I wish to point this out, as there is a variation in the 

 extent, and also in the colour, of the metallic markings 

 on the wings. The crops of most of the specimens of 

 Ocyphnps lopliotcs examined were crammed with brown 

 spine-shaped seeds, about a third of an inch in lengtli. 

 The late Mr. K. H. Bennett also procured a number of these Pigeons on the Lachlan River in 

 June and July, 1883, and their nests and eggs were exceedingly common on Yandembah Station, 

 near Booligal. Writing of the birds of the Cloncurry District, Northern Queensland, Dr. W. 

 Macgillivray remarks ;—" On'/'/«7/>i- iopliotfs is common along all the creeks, feeding on the 

 ground. The nest is a frail structure of sticks and twigs, through wliich the eggs may be easily 

 seen from below, and is usually built in a bushy tree, some ten or fifteen feet from the ground." 

 Dr. Macgillivray informs me that in the Broken Hill District, in South-western New South 

 Wales, it is common along all the creeks, and is ruthlessly shot by local pot-hunters whenever 

 seen. 



From Cobborah Station, Cobbora, New South Wales, Mr. Thos. P. Austin sent me the 

 following notes:—" Although I have never known the Crested Bronze-wing (Ocypliaps lophotes) to 

 visit here, they are very plentiful seventy miles west. I have seen very large flocks of them 

 near Narromine. When flushed they make a peculiar whistling noise with their wings, and 

 usually settle upon a dead tree. I know of no bird for its size which is so difficult to kill by 

 shooting. I once saw two men fire two shots each into a very large flock of them in a dead 

 tree ; a few feathers fluttered to the ground, but all the Pigeons flew away. They have a great 

 objection to anyone going near their nests; if disturbed or even flushed from the nest when 

 building, or when they have only just laid the first egg, the birds upon their return push the 



CRESTED BltONZE-WlNG. 



