CHAP, vi.] MR. GOULD'S OPINION. 193 



great delicacy for the table ; its large size and the 

 whiteness of its flesh rendering it in this respect second 

 to no other member of its family, the one at all approxi- 

 mate to it being the Geophaps scripta. It is to be re- 

 gretted that a bird possessing so many qualifications as 

 the present species should not be generally dispersed 

 over the country; but such is not the case. To look for 

 it on the plains, or in any of the open hilly parts, would 

 be useless ; no other districts than the brushes which 

 stretch along the line of coast of New South Wales, or 

 those clothing the sides of the hills, are favoured with 

 its presence : its distribution, therefore, over Australia 

 depends mainly upon whether the surface of the country 

 be or be not clothed with that rich character of vegeta- 

 tion common to the south-eastern portion of the conti- 

 nent. As the length of its tarsi would lead one to 

 expect, the Wonga-wonga spends most of its time on 

 the ground, where it feeds upon the seeds and stones 

 of the fallen fruits of the towering trees under whose 

 shade it dwells, seldom exposing itself to the rays of 

 the sun, or seeking the open parts of the forest. While 

 traversing these arborean solitudes, one is frequently 

 startled by the sudden rising of the Wonga-wonga, the 

 noise of whose wings is quite equal to, and not very 

 different from, that made by a Pheasant. Its flight is 

 not of long duration, this power being merely employed 

 to remove it to a sufficient distance to avoid detection 

 by again descending to the ground, or mounting to the 

 branch of a neighbouring tree. Of the nidification of 

 this valuable bird I could gain no precise information. 

 It is a species that bears confinement well, and, with an 

 ordinary degree of attention, may doubtless be rendered 

 domesticated and useful. The sexes present no external 



