94 Mr. G. M. Mathews on the 



large coveys being seen. Sometimes when flushed thej rise 

 in a bunch, as though they had been close together on the 

 ground, only one or two stragglers remaining; at others 

 they rise in singles, twos, or threes, as though they were 

 scattered, perhaps feeding. They are a good sporting bird, 

 as they can usually be flushed again if marked down, for 

 they seldom run more than a few yards. After a shot, and 

 the birds are scattered, one can hear low moaning calls, which 

 gradually cease as the covey gets together again. Usually 

 each covey keeps to the same locality. As many as twenty 

 have been seen in one lot, but twelve would be about a fair 

 average. 



On the 15th of November a covey was approached cau- 

 tiously, and the females were seen to be chasing the male 

 birds round and round until the latter flew a few yards 

 away. This was repeated again and again. One female 

 was shot to be quite sure of the sex. 



On the 10th of March, 1913, the females had large eggs 

 in their ovaries. 



5. Ptilinopus regina ewingii. Rose-crowned Fruit-Pigeon. 

 Piilinopus ewingii Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1842, p. 19 : 



Port Essington. 



These Pigeons seem to be distributed all over the Island. 

 They usually perch amongst the dense foliage in the patches 

 of jungle growing along the creeks, which makes them very 

 difiicult to see. When disturbed they fly away at great 

 speed, usually keeping above the tops of the trees. They 

 feed on a fruit like a large cherry, and usually some birds are 

 found in every tree with ripe fruit. They nest in January 

 and are non-migratory. 



6. Myristicivora bicolor spilorrhoa. Nutmeg-Pigeon. 

 Carpophaga spilorrhoa Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858, p. 186 : 



Aru Islands. 



Nest. This was built in the horizontal fork of a mangrove 

 about eight feet from the mud, and consisted of a few small 

 twigs, and was most frail. A second nest, built in a stout fork 



