BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 103 



FAMILY-PERISTERID/E (2 species). 

 Sub- Family Phabinae. 



BRONZE-WING PIGEON 



(Phaps chalcoptera, Lath.) 



Male. Forehead tinged with fulvous; dull purple band across 

 the crown; hind-neck and back brownish-grey, with lighter 

 edges ; two centre tail feathers brownish-grey, remainder bluish- 

 grey, browner towards the base, with a broad subtermmal band 

 of blackish-brown ; wings same as buck ; on the outer web of the 

 wing coverts a broad spot of rich coppery-red or golden bronze- 

 green ; oti outer webs of inner secondaries are green metallic spots 

 with steel-blue reflections ; lores black ; a line over the ear coverts 

 white; cheeks, ear coverts, and sides of the neck grey; throat 

 white ; breast vinous ; abdomen grey ; under tail coverts grey ; sides 

 brownish ; axillaries and under wing coverts cinnamon ; bill 

 blackish; legs and feet carmine-red. Dimensions in mm.: 

 Length, 355; bill, 17; wing, 180; tail, 142; tarsus, 24. 



Female. Generally duller than male; forehead grey; purple 

 band on occiput wanting; breast greyish, like abdomen. 



Young. Closely resembles female. 



Nest. A slight platform of twigs, just sufficiently concave to 

 prevent the eggs rolling out; usually placed in the fork of a 

 horizontal limb not far from the ground. 



Eggs. Clutch two; roundish to oval in shape; texture fine, 

 except the smaller end, which is slightly granular; surface 

 glcssy : colour pure white. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch: 

 (1) 86 x 25, (2) 38 x 26. 



Breeding Season. September or October to January. 



Geographical Distribution. Tasmania and Australia in 

 general. 



Observations. Shooting season begins 1st March and ends 

 31st -July. As a game bird this fine Pigeon is held in high 

 esteem by all true sportsmen, but unfortunately its numbers are 

 far from being on the increase. Two factors are responsible for 

 this, the first being the opening up of the country, and the second 

 the increase in domestic cats in localities where not long since 

 they were rare, owing to the increase in settlers. During the 

 early morning and evening hour the gentle cooing note of the 

 Bronze-wing Pigeon travels a long way on the still air from its 

 feeding ground or waterhole. The seeds of the blue climbing berry, 

 so plentiful in some districts, are much sought after. In disposi- 

 tion it is very shy, and does not willingly allow of a close approach. 

 Should one be so fortunate as to approach close to a small flock 

 feeding on the ground, to which he has been guided by the cooing 

 notes, and which will have stopped before he is within some thirty 



