102 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



of the Purple-crowned or Superb Fruit-Pigeon in September, 1872, 

 at Quamby, after a heavy northerly gale. 



I have no knowledge of any specimen having been obtained 

 since then. 



Sub- Family Carpophaginae- 



*TOPKNOT-PIGEON 

 (Lophohemus antarcticus, Shaw). 



Male. " Crest over the nostrils, sides of the head, neck, breast, 

 and under surface silvery-grey, the feathers of the neck and breast 

 being hackled, admitting the darker colouring of their bases to 

 be perceived through the interstices; elongated crest at the occiput 

 rust-red; from the eye to the occiput beneath the crest a line of 

 black, which, meeting behind, is continued for a short distance 

 down the back of the neck; all the upper surface dark slate-grey; 

 primaries, secondaries, and edge of the wing black; tail light grey 

 at the base, black for the remainder of its length, crossed by an 

 irregular band of buffy-grey about an inch from the extremity; 

 irides fiery orange, surrounded by a lash of pink red, and seated 

 in a bare mealy space of the same colour, but hardly so bright ; 

 bill bright rose-red, inclining to lilac at the tip; fleshy part cover- 

 ing the nostrils and at the base of the lower mandible greenish 

 lead colour in the male and lead colour in the female : feet 

 purplish-red; back of the tarsi and soles of the feet greyish-brown" 

 (Gould). Dimensions in mm. : Length, 380; bill, 15; wing, 265; 

 tail, 153; tarsus, 32. 



Female. Similar to male. 



Young. " Crest shorter and tail band narrower and less 

 defined" (B. M. Cat.) 



Nest. A platform of stoutish twigs placed in a fairly iofty tree.- 



Eggs. Clutch one; oval in shape, with both ends somewhat 

 pointed; texture roughish ; surface glossy; colour pearly-white. 

 Dimensions in mm. : 41 x 30. 



Breeding Season. October to December. 



Geographical Distribution.- Tasmania (casual), New South 

 Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. 



Observations. This bird is included by the Rev. T. J. Ewing 

 in his " List of the Birds of Tasmania," read before the Tasmanian 

 Royal Society, August, 1854. 



The only records I can find relating to this casual visitor refer 

 to two individuals shot in Julv, 1907, on the North-East Coast. 



