_\S8 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



back and chestnut-brown of the breast matching very 

 closely the colours of the leaves and soil." 



A specimen of this Dove reached the Gardens in 

 Regent s Park in October, 1903. 



BRONZE-WINGED PIGEON (/'/HI//-< <-/ia/ri>jitt /). 



The adult male has the anterior half of the crown 

 ochreous butf ; behind this is a dull purplish band which 

 extend* on to the sides of the crown; posterior half of 

 the crown, back of nock, and upper surface brownish- 

 grey; the scapularies, feathers of back, rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts .with paler edges; three outer rows of wing- 

 covt--rt.s with large patches of metallic emerald-green, 

 changing in certain lights to burnished fiery copper : 

 the inner 1 secondaries with large patches of shining 

 violet, changing to greenish Prussian-blue ; inner webs 

 of flights reddish-cinnamon towards the base ; two 

 central tail-feathers like the back, the remainder greyer 

 excepting at tip and with subterminal black belts ; lores 

 black, an angular buffish line partly enclosing the eye 

 above ; and, below the eye. a white line which extends 

 over the ear-coverts ; the latter, the cheeks, and sides 

 of the neck are bluish-ashy ; throat, white ; breast 

 vinous, changing to grey on the abdomen ; flanks 

 brownish-grey; axillaries and under wing-coverts cin- 

 namon ; feet salmon-red ; bill slaty-black ; iris chestnut- 

 brown. 



The female lacks the buff anterior half of the crown, 

 which is uniformly coloured, the margins to the feathers 

 of the upper parts broader and reddish-grey ; the breast 

 greyer Avith brownish edges to the feathers. The young 

 is said to resemble the female. Hab., Australia and 

 Tasmania. 



Gould says of this species ("Handbook," Vol. II., pp. 

 123-124) : " It is a plump, heavy bird, weighing when 

 in good condition fully a pound ; and is constantly 

 eaten by every class of persons resident in Australia. 

 Its amazing powers of flight enable it to pass in an 

 incredibly short space of time over a great expanse of 

 country, and just before sunset it may be observed 

 winging its way over the plains or down the gullies to 

 its drinking-place. During the long drought of 1839- 

 1840, when I was encamped at the northern extremity of 

 the Brezi range. I had daily opportunities of observing 

 the arrival of this bird to drink ; the only water for 

 miles, as I was assured by the natives, being that in 

 the immediate vicinity of my tent, and that merely 

 the scanty supply left in a few small natural basins in 

 the rocks, which had been filled by the rains of many 

 months before." " Seldom, if ever, however, did the 

 Bronze-wing make its appearance during the heat of 

 the day, but at sundown it arrived with arrow-like 

 swiftness, either singly or in pairs. It did not descend 

 at once to the edge of the pool, but dashed down to 

 the ground at about ten yards' distance, remained quiet 

 for a short time, then walked leisurely to the water, and. 

 after drinking, winged its way to its roosting-place." 

 " The Bronze-wing feeds almost entirely on the ground, 

 where it finds the various kinds of leguminous seeds 

 that constitute its food. It breeds during August and 

 four following months, and often rears two or more 

 broods ; the eggs are white, and two in number. If in. 

 long and 1 in. broad. 



" Its nest, which is very similar to that of the other 

 members of the family, is a frail structure of small 

 twigs, rather hollow in form, and is usually placed on 

 the horizontal branch on an apple or gum tree near 

 the ground, those trees growing on flat meadow-land 

 near water being evidently preferred." 



I purchased a pair of these pigeons, at rather a high 



price, on July 5, 1897, and both sexes soon came into 

 perfect plumage. Unfortunately, the cock proved to be 

 rather an old and gouty-footed individual, so that (with 

 the best intentions to assist his wife in the duties of 

 incubation) he invariably breaks the eggs which from 

 time to time are deposited. I have thus been unfortu- 

 nate enough not to breed this bird, though I entrusted 

 the eggs, from time to time, to Barbary Doves ; but 

 my friend Mr. D. Seth-Smith successfully bred the 

 Bronze-wing in 1887, and Miss Aldersoii and others 

 have been equally lucky. 



As regards its behaviour in captivity, when first 

 received it is rather \\ild and nervous, but it soon 

 settles down and becomes as steady as any Dove, except, 

 perhaps, the " Bleeding Heart " and the " Barbary." 

 When nesting it is inclined to be aggressive : but. b 

 an arrant coward, the much smaller Zenaida aiU'lta 

 made its life such a burden, by incessantly chasing it 

 from pillar to post all over the aviary, that 1 had to 

 remove a. pair of these tormentors to another enclosure, 

 where, however, they were equally disagreeable to other 

 Doves. The coo of the Bronze-wing is like the groan 

 of: a horse wounded to death a weird and awful sound ! 



My birds are still living as 1 write this account in 

 July. 1909, so that they have been twelve years in my 

 possession. I tried them for two years in my larger- 

 outdoor aviary, where they stood the cold of winter- 

 perfectly, but never attempted to breed. In the summer 

 of 1908, and again in 1909, the hen was plucked bare 

 as regards her neck and back by a pair of Tree-Sparrows 

 in the same aviary, who used the feathers for building- 

 purposes, but apparently without laying. Whether tins- 

 treatment has weakened her I cannot say. but she has. 

 to all intents and purposes, lost the use of one leg, and 

 hobbles about in a distressing fashion. 



The London Zoological Society acquired its first 

 example of this beautiful pigeon in 1859. and bred it 

 in the Gardens two years later ; eince that date 1 



HEN BRONZE-WING PIGEON. 



