RASORES. 133 



Sp. 466. GEOPHAPS SMITHII. 



Smith's Partridge Bronze-wing. 



Columba smithii, Jard. and Selb. 111. Orn., vol. iii. pi. 104. 

 Man-ga, Aborigines of the Coburg Peninsula. 

 Partridge Pigeon, Residents of Port Essington. 



Geophaps smithii, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v. pi. 68. 



This species is in every respect a true Geophaps^ and 

 the accompanying notes by Gilbert show that it closely 

 assimilates in its habits and economy to the type of the genus. 

 It appears to be abundant on the north coast of Australia, 

 which is the only part of the country from which I have yet 

 received it : — 



** Like the G. scripta this bird, which at Port Essington is 

 termed the Partridge, differs considerably from its congeners 

 in its general habits, flight, voice, mode of incubation, and the 

 character of its newly hatched young. It is rather abundant 

 in all parts of the Peninsula, is mostly seen in small families 

 and always on the ground, unless when disturbed or alarmed; 

 it then usually flies into the nearest tree, generally choosing 

 the largest part of a horizontal branch to perch upon. When 

 it rises from the ground its flight is accompanied with a 

 louder flapping or burring noise than I have observed in any 

 other Pigeon. 



" Its note is a coo, so rolled out that it greatly resembles 

 the note of the Quail, and which, like that bird, it scarcely ever 

 utters but when on the ground, where it frequently remains 

 stationary, allowing itself to be almost trod upon before rising. 

 Its favourite haunts are meadows covered with short grass 

 near water, or the edges of newly burnt brush. It would 

 seem that this species migrates occasionally from one part of 

 the country to another ; for during the months of September 

 and October not a single individual was to be seen, while at 

 the time of my arrival and for a month after they were so 



