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Bird Notes from the Zoological Gardens.



BIRD NOTES FROM THE ZOOLOGICAL

GARDENS.


By the Curator.


An important recent addition to the collection of birds is a

pair of Great-billed Ravens (Gorvnltur crassirostris), from Abyssinia,

a present from the Marquess of Tavistock, and the first of their kind

to be exhibited in the collection.


This remarkable Raven is about the size of the common

species, glossy black, with a brownish shade to some of the upper

wing-coverts, and the back of the head is decorated with a large

white patch. But the most remarkable feature of this bird is its

bill, the upper mandible of which is greatly swollen and arched,

the colour being black, with the tips white.


In habits this Raven does not appear to differ appreciably

from other Ravens, feeding for the most part on carrion, while

small animals, insects and fruit are also taken. Its voice is a

harsh croak.


The Zoological Society has recently purchased from the sale

of Mons. Pauwel’s collection some rare and interesting pigeons ;

namely, one Wallace’s Fruit-Pigeon (.Ptilopus ivallacei), a beautiful

bird of pale grey, green and orange, with a blood-red cap on the

crown ; a pair of Pearl-spotted Fruit Pigeons (Ptilopus zonurus),

green with yellow heads, a band of grey on the nape and pink spots

on the wing coverts ; a pair of Orange-bellied Fruit Pigeons (Ptilopus

iozonus), small birds of a dark green colour, with greyish-blue

shoulder patches, and a large patch of rich orange on the abdomen ;

and a single specimen of the Yellow-bellied Ground Dove (Phlogcenas

helviventris ), a species allied to the well-known Blood-breasted

Pigeon. In colour it is deep chestnut above, with the breast and

underparts yellow. It is one of the most striking looking doves one

has seen for some time.


The above birds are natives of the Aru Islands and all are

new to the Zoological Society’s collection, and probably to aviculture

generally.


Besides these, however, there is a splendid specimen of the

White Fruit Pigeon (Myristicivora luctuosa) from Celebes, of which a



