448 



THE CRESTED PIGEON. 



abdomen and under tail-coverts are white. The eye is chestnut, and under it there is a little 

 patch of bare pink skin ; the legs and toes are brownish-yellow, and the beak is brown. The 

 young birds of the year are differently sliaded with brown ; the head is wholly of that color, 

 the wing-coverts are tipped with yellowish- white, and the qnilL-feathers of the wing are edged 

 with a rusty hue. The tail, too, is without the white that distinguishes the adult bird. The- 

 total length of this species is rather more than eleven inches. 



The little Crested Pigeon, although not so conspicuous as some of its relations, is one 

 of the most elegant in form and pleasing in color among this tribe. 



It is a native of central Australia, and, according to Mr. Gould, is fond of haunting the 

 marshy ground by the side of rivei's and lagoons, and there assembling in large flocks. The 



CRESTED PIGEON and BRONZE- WING 'PlQ'E.OVi. -Phaps loplwles tiui chalcopteiu. 



gregarious propensities of this bird are indulged to an extent that seems almost ridiculous, for 

 a large flock of Crested Pigeons vnW fly to the same tree, sit closely packed upon the same 

 branch, and at the same moment descend in a mass to drink, returning in a similar manner to 

 their perch. The flight of this bird is strong, and rather curiously managed. When it starts 

 from the tree on which it is sitting, it gives a few quick strokes with its wings, and then darts 

 off on steady pinion with an arrowy flight. When it settles, it flings up its head, erects its 

 crest, and jerks its tail over its back, so that the crest and tail nearly touch each other. Its 

 nest is, like that of most Pigeons, made of little twigs, and placed on the low forking branch 

 of some convenient tree. AVliile sitting on the nest, or perching quietly on the bough, the 

 crest lies almost upon the back, and from below is hardly distinguishable from the rest of 

 the plumage. 



The head, face, and most of the under portions are pearl-gray, the hmg slender crest being 

 jetty black, and the sid(>s of the neck tinged sliglitly witli ]un"k. The back of the neck, the 

 back, flanks, and both tail-coverts are light brown ; the feathers at the insertion of the wing 

 are buff, crossed with black nearer their tips, and the great coverts are shining bronze-green 

 edged with white. Tlie primary feathers of the wing ai-e bi'own, some partially edged with 

 brownisli-v/hite, and the rest with ])urc wliite. The secondaries are bromi in their inner webs, 



