16 



A.\ AUSTKAr.IAN BIRD BOOK. 



ORDER IV. — COLUMBIFORMES, PIGEONS, DOVES. 



F. 16. TRERONIDAE (8), FRUIT-PIGEONS, 228 sp.— 



159(155)A., 60(56)0., 1(1)P., 12(12)E. 



2 12 Topknot Pigeon, Lopholaimus antarcticus, E.A., T. 



2 (ace.) "Quook-quook." Stat. c. thick brushes 



"This noble pigeon;" under silvery-gray; upper dark-gray; 



crest rust-red; eyes orange; f., sim. Native fruits. 



17 



their eggs. Thus the young have never known their parents. 

 The eggs are laid in a huge mound of sand and earth, which con- 

 tains rotting vegetation. The heat of decomposition in this re- 

 markable natural incubator, is quite sufficient to hatch the eggs. 

 The young are born fully feathered, able to run at once, and able 

 to fly the day they leave the mound. Contrast their stage of 

 development with that of a pigeon born naked, blind, and help- 

 less, and that of a chick born clothed with down and able to run 

 about. There is an interesting connexion between the size of 

 an egg and the state of development of the young bird at birth. 

 The pigeon lays a relatively small egg, so the young pigeon does 

 not develop far in the egg, and requires much maternal care. The 

 hen's egg is larger, and the chick is more fully developed. The 

 Mallee-Hen's egg is enormous, and so the young can develop 

 much further before birth. This bird, unfortunately, is doomed 

 to early extinction, for the fox has discovered the rich store of 

 food in the eggs, and country dwellers have also discovered that 

 they are delicate in flavor, and are good food. It is hoped that 



