244 



DOUBLE-CRESTED PIGEON AROMATIC VINAGO. 



THE DOUBLE-CRESTED PIGEOX. 



New Holland and Java are the native localities of this species. Yhe 

 head is ornamented with a frontal crest composed of long recurved lax 

 feathers, advancing even on the bill, and of a bluish gray colour tinged 

 with rufous ; behind this, on the back of the head, is a second crest of 

 rich rufous and composed of long decumbent feathers with open bar- 

 bules and bounded by a black streak running back from each eye ; bill 

 rich orange ; sides and front of the neck, together with the breast, pale 

 gray, the base of the feathers being black ; legs crimson. 



THE AROMATIC VINAGO. 



This bird is a native of India, Java, and the adjaa . it islands. 

 of a mild and timorous disposi- 

 tion, and is generally seen in 

 Socks or 

 during the 



It is 



societies, except 

 period of repro- 

 duction, when they pair, arid 

 retire to the recesses of the 

 forest. The nest is simple and 

 composed of a few twigs loosely 

 put together, and the eggs are 

 two. The base or softer part of 

 the bill is a blackish grey, th^ 

 tip yellowish white, strong, 

 much hooked, and bulging on 

 the side. The forehead is of a 

 bright silken green, the crown 

 greenish' grey, the chin and 

 throat gamboge-yellow, the 

 remainder of the neck, the 

 breast, belly, lower back and 

 rump, yellowish green. The 

 tail has the two middle feathers 

 wholly green, and slightly ex- 

 ceeding the rest in length. In 

 its habits it is arboreal. 



Mr. Selby gives the follow- 

 ing note which accompanied the skins of Virago militaris, and Vinago 

 aromatica. " Green Pigeon. This beautiful bird has brilliant red eyes. 

 Its feet are something like the Parrot's, and it climbs in the same 

 w<vy as that bird. lit is very difficult to find ; for although a flock 

 is marked into a tree, yet its color is so similar to the leaf of the 

 banyan (on the small red fig of which it feeds), that if a bird does not 

 move you may look for many minutes before you can see one, al 

 though there may be fifty in the tree." 



THE AROMATIC VINAGO. 



