38 Bird gallery. 



Family III. CoLUiMBiDiU. Pigeons. 



[Cases This family includes all the remaining species of the Order. Of the 

 19, 20.J Qround-Pigeons exhibited we may specially mention the Giant Crowned 

 Pigeons {Goura) (208, 209), the Grey-naped Ground-Pigeon {Otidiphaps 

 cervicalis) (210) from New Guinea, held by some to be an ally of 

 Didunculus, the Nicobar Pigeon [Caloenas nicobarica) (213) with its 

 remarkable metallic plumage and long neck-hackles, the Wonga-wonga 

 {Leucosarcia picata) (214) from East Australia^ and the beautiful 

 Bartlett's Blood-breasted Pigeon [Phlogcenns crinigera) (215) from the 

 Philippines. In all these it will be noted that the length of the leg is 

 very conspicuously greater than in the tree-haunting type of Pigeon. 



[Case 19.] Above these will be seen the beautiful Bronze-winged Dove 

 [Chalcophaps indica) (227), and the diminutive Long-tailed African Dove 

 {(Ena capensis) (228), one of the smallest of all the Pigeons. Next come 

 the more familiar species belonging to the genera Turtur and Columba. 

 Of the former the Turtle-Dove {T. turtur) (231) and the Eastern 

 Turtle-Dove {Turtur orientalis) (231 a), which is included in tlie British 

 List, may be specially mentioned, and of the latter the Stock-Dove (237), 

 the Rock-Dove (238), and the Wood-Pigeon (239), all common species 

 in the British Isles. The Rock-Dove is noteworthy, as from this 

 species all the domesticated varieties have been derived. The handsome 

 Reinwardt's Cuckoo-Dove (Reinwardfoenas reinioardti) (240) and the 

 Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) (241), of Eastern North 

 America, complete the more noticeable species in this Case. Thfe latter 

 species is now extinct, though only a few years ago it was met with in 

 such countless flocks that a colony seen by the naturalist Wilson on 

 one occasion was estimated to consist of more than 2,230 millions ! 

 As late as 1878 a "roost" of these birds, at Petosky in Michigan, 

 occupied an area twenty-eight miles long by three or four broad. During 

 the nesting- season millions of birds are said to have been slaughtered 

 without producing any appreciable reduction in their numbers. 



rOase 20.1 Resplendent colours are characteristic of the Fruit- Pigeons, though 

 green may be said to be the predominant tone. Some, such as the 

 Chatham Island form (Hemiphaga chathamensis) (249), exhibited on the 

 floor of this Case, are of large size, and a curious crested species, 

 Lopholamus antarcticus (248) from New South Wales, will be found 

 near it. The Nutmeg-Pigeon {Myristicivora biculor) (250) from the 

 Malay Archipelago is a striking form, being pure white with the flight- 

 feathers and tip of the tail black. Among the more brilliantly coloured 

 forms are the Orange Fruit-Pigeon (^Chrj/soenas victor) (282) from the 

 Fiji Islands, and the Jambu Fruit-Pigeon [Ftilopus jambu) (271) from 

 Borneo. The Red-crowned Pigeon {Alectrcenatf pulcherrima) (261) 

 from the Seychelles represents a remarkable little group, one of which, 



