TYPICAL PIGEONS. 



369 



ground, and contained one large white egg. The members of the genus Myristi- 

 civora may be distinguished from those previously mentioned by their white and 

 black plumage. The white nutmeg-pigeon (M. hicolor) is a handsome species found 

 in the Philippine Islands, the Malay Archipelago, and the Andaman and Nicobar 

 Islands. Both sexes have the entire plumage of a pale creamy white, except the 

 flight-feathers, the tip of the tail, and some spots on the under tail-coverts, which 



NUTMEG-PIGEON. 



are black. This bird is not so generally distributed throughout the Nicobars as 

 the nutmeg-pigeon, and, though occasionally found some distance in the forest, 

 keeps in general to the mangrove-swamps ; but on islands such as Treis and Track, 

 where there is little or no mangrove, it occurs everywhere. LopholmTYius antarcticus, 

 found in Eastern Australia, is easily recognised by being the only crested species 

 of fruit-pigeon, and is the sole representative of its genus. The last genus, 

 Hemiphaga, contains three species belonging to New Zealand and adjacent islands, 

 and differs from the six genera already mentioned in having only twelve tail- 

 feathers. 



Wood, Long-Tailed, and Passenger-Pigeons. 



Family COLUMBID^. 



This family may be distinguished from the green pigeons and their allies by 

 having the soles of the feet normal, that is, not very broad, and only the hind-toe 

 with the skin prominently expanded on the sides. It is split up into three groups, 



VOL. IV. — 24 



