Crested Pigeon 435 



ground it could seldom be flushed again, but ran with such speed through the 

 grass as to elude our search." These birds breed at any season of the year, 

 but apparently the principal season is from October to March. The nest is a 

 mere depression in the ground under a tussock of grass, and the two eggs are of 

 a creamy white. In western Australia the place is taken by the Red-plumed 

 Pigeon (L. ferruginea), which differs in having the cinnamon-color of a deeper 

 hue, and in South and Northwest Australia occurs the White-bellied Plumed 

 Pigeon (L. leucogaster), which differs from the others mainly in being duller and 

 paler. Their habits are similar. 



The Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) is found throughout Australia in 

 general, frequenting the plains and open-timbered parts of the inland region. 

 It is larger than those last mentioned, being twelve and a half inches long. 

 The general plumage, including head, face, throat, breast, and abdomen, is gray, 

 while the lengthened occipital plumes are black, and the back of the neck, back, 

 rump, flanks, and upper and under tail-coverts light olive-brown; the feathers 

 covering the insertion of the wing are deep black, while the greater wing-coverts 

 are shining bronzy green, margined with white, and the primaries brown, margined 

 with white. Of its habits Gould says: "It frequently assembles in large flocks, 

 and when it visits the lagoons or river sides for water, during the dry season, 

 generally selects a single tree, or even a particular branch, on which to congre- 

 gate before descending simultaneously to drink. Its flight is so rapid as to be 

 unequaled by those of any member of the group to which it belongs, an impetus 

 being acquired by a few quick flaps of the wings; it goes skimming off apparently 

 without any further movement of the pinions. Upon alighting on a branch it 

 elevates its tail and throws back its head, so as to bring them nearly together, at 

 the same time erecting its crest and showing itself off to the utmost advantage." 

 The nest is placed on a bush or low tree. 



The sixth group of this subfamily (Geotrygonince) is a large one, embracing 

 some ten genera and upward of ninety forms of robust or Partridge-like, essentially 

 terrestrial birds with stout legs and short, very broad and much-rounded wings, 

 the latter without metallic spots, though often with a broad glossy patch of 

 violet near the bend. About equally distributed among the Old and New 

 Worlds, the first genus to which attention may be directed (Haplopelia) is char- 

 acterized by having the primaries very broad and not tapering to a point, while 

 in all the others the primaries are more or less narrowed or pointed. The half 

 dozen or more species comprising the genus Haplopelia are all African, perhaps 

 the best-known being the South African Cinnamon Dove (H. larvata), the 

 ground color of which is a dark brown above, becoming vinaceous on the back 

 of the head and neck and iridescent with a beautiful coppery green, while the 

 throat and top of the head are white and the under parts vinaceous, becoming 

 rufous on the abdomen. This bird is the Lemon Dove (Limoen Duif) of the 

 colonists and is not uncommon over many parts of South Africa, keeping almost 

 entirely to the ground in the dense bush and darker parts of the forest, where 

 its brown colors serve admirably to conceal it; it is rare to find more than two 

 or three together. In seeking for its food, which consists mainly of berries, 



