RASORES. 129 



length of wing which this bird possesses admirably adapts it 

 for inhabiting such districts as those of which the far interior 

 is generally imagined to be composed, since by this means it 

 may readily pass over a vast extent of territory ; this great 

 power of flight is also a highly necessary qualification to enable 

 it to traverse the great distances it is probably often necessi- 

 tated to do in search of water. 



On dissecting the specimens obtained, I found their crops 

 half filled with small hard seeds, which they procured from the 

 open plains, but of wdiat kinds I was unable to determine. 



Forehead, stripe from behind the eye, forming a circle 

 round the ear-coverts, and a crescent-shaped mark across the 

 throat snow-white ; the remainder of the head, throat, and 

 ear-coverts jet-black; all the upper surface, wing-coverts, 

 flanks, and two centre tail-feathers deep cinnamon-brown ; 

 edge of the shoulder dull white ; spurious wing bluish grey, 

 slightly margined with white ; primaries brownish grey, mar- 

 gined on their outer web with rufous at the base, largely 

 marked with the same on the inner web, forming a conspicuous 

 patch on the under surface of the wing, and with an oval spot 

 of white at the tip of each feather ; secondaries crossed by a 

 beautiful deep crimson bronze on the outer webs near the tip ; 

 lateral tail-feathers bluish grey at the base, passing into black 

 towards the extremity, which is white ; breast and centre of 

 the abdomen bluish grey; under tail-coverts light buff; nos- 

 trils and bill black ; bare skin surrounding the eye purplish 

 black ; irides dark brown ; frontal scales of the legs and feet 

 lilac-red ; hind part flesh-red. 



Total length 10^ inches; bill 1; wing 8; tail 3J; tarsi 1. 



The female has only a faint indication of the markings 

 which adorn the male, and is altogether much less brilliant in 

 her appearance. 



"This beautiful Pigeon," says Captain Sturt, "is an in- 

 habitant of the interior. It lays its eggs in February, depo- 

 siting them under any low bush in the middle of the open 



VOL. II. K 



