RASORES. 135 



Genus LOPHOPHAPS, Reichenbach 



The birds of this form are apparently destined to inhabit 

 the most arid, heated plains ; thus even the desert has a pe- 

 culiar kind of bird-life, and in this instance one of a highly 

 ornamental character, for there are scarcely any birds more 

 graceful than these little plumed Pigeons. 



Sp. 467. LOPHOPHAPS PLUMIFERA, Gould. 



Plumed Bronze-wing. 



Geophaps plumifera, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part x. p. 19. 

 Lophophaps plumifera, Reichenbach. 



Geophaps plumifera, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol, vol. v. pi. 69. 



I have traced this elegant species from South Australia 

 through the intervening country to Victoria River. The 

 far west is evidently inhabited by the succeeding species of 

 this form. 



" It was on the return of my party from the eastern extrem- 

 ity of Cooper's Creek," says Captain Sturt, " that we first 

 saw and procured specimens of this beautiful little bird. Its 

 locality was entirely confined to about thirty miles along the 

 banks of the creek in question ; it was generally perched on 

 some rock fully exposed to the sun's rays, and evidently taking 

 a pleasure in basking in the tremendous heat. It was very 

 wild and took wing on hearing the least noise. In the after- 

 noon it was seen running in the grass on the creek side, and 

 could hardly be distinguished from a quail. It never perched 

 on the trees; when it dropped after rising from the ground, it 

 could seldom be flushed again, but ran with such speed through 

 the grass as to elude our search." 



From Gilbert's journal I extract the following passage : — 



" Lat. 17° 30', March G. I was fortunate enough to kill 

 for the first time Lojphophaps plumifera. The iridcs are bright 

 orange, the naked skin before and surrounding the eyes 



