collected in Dutch New Gui7iea. 317 



Iris ruby-red or crimson ; bill slate-colour ; legs and feet 

 purplish-red. 



All the specimens collected by the Wollaston Expedition 

 have the belly black, and some have also the rump, back, and 

 part of the wings of the same dark colour. As Dr. van Oort 

 has already noted (t. c. p. 61), this peculiarity is due to 

 grease in the feathers. By immersing the skins in benzol 

 the feathers regain their normal slate-blue colour. The 

 black on the belly is so uniformly developed in all the 

 birds from the Setakwa River that at the first glance they 

 appeared to belong to a distinct form. 



As Count Salvador! has already pointed out^ the young- 

 bird lacks the chestnut spots at the end of the wing-coverts. 

 A female, specimen k, weighed 5 lbs. [ C. B. KJ] 

 Mr. Walter Goodfellow found this species " tolerably 

 common near the base-camp on the Mimika River, and it 

 was met with in all places visited by the Expedition. In 

 spite of the numbers shot for food during the whole time the 

 Expedition remained in the country^ the supply did not 

 appear to diminish. This fine Pigeon and a few others 

 afforded the only fresh meat to be had. On the canoe- 

 journeys up the river, Sclater^s Goura was frequently met 

 with in the early mornings in parties of two or three, 

 searching for aquatic life along the muddy banks. When 

 disturbed they did not immediately take flight, but with 

 raised wings pirouetted around for a few seconds and then 

 flew to the nearest high tree.'" 



Mr. Goodfellow found the remains of small crabs in their 

 stomachs, and a large percentage of the birds shot were 

 infested with a small red parasite — the same or similar to that 

 which is known in other parts of New Guinea as " scrub-itch." 

 " This splendid Crowned Pigeon was common everywhere, 

 though scarcer in the mountains. It was generally observed 

 in parties of two or three. These usually frequent the 

 ground, and when alarmed fly heavily into the top of some 

 convenient tree. 



" They are foolishly tame at times, and I have often had 



/ 



