450 



THE NICOBAR PIGEON. 



black near the tip. The breast is purple-brown, fading into gray on the abdomen. The eyes 

 are reddish-bro\vn, and the legs and feet crimson. 



Of all this group of birds, the Wonga-Wonga Pigeon is the most celebrated for the 

 whiteness, plumpness, and delicacy of its flesh, wMch, when eaten with bread sauce, is of such 

 remarkable excellence, that the remembrance always excites the liveliest reminiscences in 

 those who have partaken of so great a dainty. 



The Wonga-Wonga Pigeon is a native of Australia, but is not spread generally over the 

 country, being found mostly, if not wholly, among the bushes along the coast of New South 

 Wales, or the sides of the hills of the interior. According to Mr. Gould, it inhabits the same 

 district as the bush turkey, the satin bower-bird, and the lyre-bird. It lives mostly on the 

 ground, feeding upon the stones and seeds of fallen fruit. When disturbeil, it suddenly rises 

 from the ground with a loud wliirring rush like that of the pheasant, and, like that bird, rather 

 startles the novice with the noise. It does not maintain a long tiight ; but either directs its 

 course to a neighboring tree, or again settles upon the earth. 



In color it is a very conspicuous bird. The forehead and chin are white, and a jetty-black 

 line passes from the eye to the base of the bill. The sides of the head are gray, the back and 

 upper surface are slate-gray, and the chest is deep blackish -gray, with a very broad white 

 band crossing the chest and running up the sides of the neck. The abdomen is white, the 

 under coverts dark brown tipped with buff, and the flanks are also white, but agreeably 

 diversified with a bold black spot near the tip of each feather. The beak is red tipped with 

 black, the eyes are dark brouni with pink orbits, and the legs are bright pink. 



NICOBAK PIGEON.— CaaaTMM nlcobariea. 



The Nicobar Pigeon may fairly be reckoned among the more magnificent species belong- 

 ing to the Pigeon tribe ; the long-pointed feathers of the neck and shoulders glowing vnth 

 resplendent green, bronze, and steely-blue, and having a peculiarly attractive effect as they 

 droop towards the ground, their loose points waving in the wind, and their hues changing with 

 every movement. Like others of the sub-family to which it belongs, it is mostly a terrestrial 

 bird. As its name imports, it is most commonly found in Nicobar ; but it also inhabits Java, 

 Sumatra, and many neighboring islands. 



The head of this Pigeon is slaty-blue, with a purplish cast, which is more conspicuous in 



