RASORES. 141 



Genus PETROPHASSA, Gould. 



So little is known respecting the single species of this Aus- 

 tralian genus that I am unable to say more than that it inha- 

 bits rocky situations near the sea-coast. 



Sp. 470. PETROPHASSA ALBIPENNIS, Gould. 



White-quilled Rock-Pigeon. 

 Pelrophassa albipennis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 173. 



Petrophassa albipennis, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v. 

 pL71. 



This highly singular species of Pigeon is an inhabitant of 

 the most rugged and sterile districts of the north-west coast 

 of Australia. Specimens were sent me by one of the Officers 

 of the ' Beagle,' but, I regret to say, were unaccompanied by 

 any particulars respecting their history. Writing to me from 

 the Victoria River, Mr. Elsey states that it is common among 

 the sandstone cliffs of the ranges. The form of the wing 

 would lead us to imagine that in many parts of its economy 

 this species much resembles those of the members of the 

 genus Geophaps ; but on these points nothing can be ascer- 

 tained with certainty, until the productions of those remote 

 parts of Australia have been carefully investigated, a period 

 which, from the inhospitable character of the country, I fear, 

 is far distant. 



Crown of the head and neck greyish brown, margined with 

 sandy brown ; all the upper surface, chest, and tail rufous 

 brown, the centre of each feather inclining to grey ; lores 

 black ; abdomen and under tail-coverts chocolate brown ; 

 throat clothed with small feathers, white at the tip, black at 

 the base ; primaries dark brown at their tips, the basal half 

 pure white ; bill and irides blackish brown ; feet reddish 

 brown. 



Total length 10 J inches ; bill | ; wing 5 J ; tail 5 ; tarsi f . 



