PIGEONS. 



243 



tail, are sliiiiing grayish olive, sides and under tail-coverts rufous. It is a rare species 

 in museums, Inil not uneommoii in the localities it frequents. 



Stanicenas, the next genus, contains also but a single species, iS. ci/anocephalus, the 

 bUie-headed pigeon of Cuba, said sometimes to visit the Florida Keys. It is a liand- 

 some bird, of a general rich, chocolate hue, the top of the hea<l bright blue, and tlic 

 throat, blackish, bordei'c<l with white. It lives upon the ground. Another "-enus 

 with a single species now follows, viz. : C'alceiias. 



The C. nicobarica, which by some authors has been considered as representing a 

 separate family (called CALcENATiDJi), is remarkable for the long plumes, like hackles, 

 which cover the neck and fall over the breast and back. It is widely distributed over 

 the eastern archii)elago, feeds ui)on the ground, and, although it Hies heavily, yet is 



■ .■^;:^ 



* ''■\r- 



Fig. U6.— Stamcmaa cyanocephalus, blue-beaded pigeon. 



capable of making very extended journeys, it liaving been eajitured at sea a hun- 

 dred miles from Xew Guinea. Scattered generally throughout the Papuan Islands, it 

 is nowhere very abundant, remaining mostly on outlying islets, where it would be 

 free from the attacks of animals. This pigeon has bred in tlie aviary of the Zoologi- 

 cal Society of London, a pair having taken jiossession of an artificial nest and laid one 

 wbite egg, which, after having been incniiatcd for twenty-eight days, produced a young 

 bird, black and naked. On the feathers ap])caring, those of the tail were black and 

 remained so, although these in the adults were ])ure white. This form was described 

 as distinct by Gray as C. gotdcUi. 



Six or seven species are included in the next genus, Phl(eg<xnas ; very attractive 

 birds from the Pajiuan and Samoan Islands, among the most beautiful of which P. 



