158 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



OCYPHAI'S LUl'UOTES. 



Crested Brouze-Wiug. 



CohuvJni lophotes, Temm., PI. Col., 142 (1823). 



Ocyphdps lophotes, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol., v., pi. 70 (1848) ; 

 Id., Haiidbk. Bds. Austr., ii., j>. 139 (1865) ; Salvad., Cat. 

 Bds. Brit. Mus., xxi., p. 535 (1893) ; North, Nests and 

 Eggs Aust. Bds., 2iid. ed. iv., pt. ii., p. 146 (1913). 



It was remarkable that I was nearly a week in Coolabah 

 before seeing one of these Pigeons, and yet tliey were freely 

 distributed, only a few hundred yards away from the hotel. 

 With one or two exceptions, all the birds seen by me were at 

 a place known as the " gravel-pits," and all on the 

 southern side of the railway line. Although a similar vegeta- 

 tion existed on the northern side, I never observed one of them 

 there. As I have at otlier times noticed, these Pigeons come 

 more into evidence about four o'clock in the afternoon, not 

 moving about much during the heat of the day, but generally 

 about this hour, they may be seen in twos and threes and 

 small flocks flying about from tree to tree or feeding upon 

 seeds of grasses, or those of herbaceous plants. Sometimes a 

 dozen or more may be thus assembled, and when disturbed by 

 too close an approach seek refuge inflight, usually in twos and 

 threes. In a similar manner do tliey leave a tree when one 

 approaches near them. Often have I thought all the Pigeons 

 had left a tree before getting near it, yet many moi-e were 

 flushed from it at intervals, after standing beneath it. On this 

 occasion while quietly engaged in threading up a specimen 

 beneath the tree from where I had shot it, three more came 

 and settled just above my head. One could almost recognise 

 this species, by the raf)id, and loud whirring noise made by the 

 wings during flight and which has gained for it in the Moree 

 district the aboriginal name of " Wirr-i-lah." Observed also 

 at Brewarrina, but not so common. 



LeIPOA 0CEI;I,ATA. 



Mai lee- Fowl. 



Leipua ocellata, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1840, p. 826 ; id., Bds. 

 Austr., fol„ v., pi. 78 (1848) ; id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., 

 ii., p. 155 (1«65). 



