140 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



dry seasons, generally selects a single tree, or even a parti- 

 cular branch, on which to congregate before descending simul- 

 taneously to drink. 



Its flight is so rapid as to be unequalled by those of 

 any member of the group to which it belongs ; an impetus 

 being acquired by a few quick flaps of the wings, it goes 

 skimming off apparently without any further movement 

 of the pinions. Upon alighting on a branch it elevates its 

 tail and throws back its head, so as to bring them nearly 

 together, at the same time erecting its crest and showing itself 

 off to the utmost advantage. 



I met with the nest of this species in a low tree, on the 

 great plain near Gundermein on the Lower Namoi, on the 

 23rd of December 1839 ; like that of the other species of 

 Pigeon, it was a slight structure of small twigs, and contained 

 two white eggs, which were one inch and a quarter long and 

 nearly an inch broad, upon which the female was then sitting. 



Head, face, throat, breast, and abdomen grey ; lengthened 

 occipital plumes black ; back of the neck, back, rump, flanks, 

 upper and under tail-coverts light olive-brown ; the upper 

 tail-coverts tipped with white ; sides of the neck washed with 

 pinky salmon-colour; feathers covering the insertion of the 

 wing deep bufi", each crossed near the tip with a line of deep 

 black, giving this part of the plumage a barred appearance ; 

 greater wing-coverts shining bronzy green, margined with 

 white; primaries brown; the third, fourth, and fifth finely mar- 

 gined on the apical half of their external web with brownish 

 white, the remainder with a narrow line of white bounding 

 the extremities of both webs ; secondaries brown on their 

 inner webs, bronzy purple on their outer webs at the base, 

 and brown at the extremity, broadly margined with white ; 

 two centre tail-feathers brown, the remainder blackish brown, 

 glossed with green on their outer webs, and tipped with 

 white ; irides buffy orange ; orbits naked, wrinkled, and of a 

 pink-red ; bill olive-black ; legs and feet pink-red. J 



