Mr. T. H. Newman,



young of no other pigeons have excited so much difference

of opinion, and the statements that the young “are hatched

clothed with down, like a young Quail,” and that they “fly

strongly when they are only as large as a Quail” have led to the

belief that these birds, which so wonderfully assimilate a Part¬

ridge in appearance and habits, are really more Partridge than

Pigeon. It would be hard to find another case among birds of

one group approaching another so closely in superficial details as

the genus Geophaps does the Partridges. Yet in no point do they

really differ from the more typical Pigeons. As the excellent

photograph given in August 1907 shows, the bird closely resembles

a Gallinaceous bird in build. They run with the ease and elegance

of a pea-chick, the white band on each side of the breast also

adds to the resemblance ; they have a habit of raising themselves

on tip-toe and giving their wings a vigorous flap, in a way that

one almost expects them to give a crow, and I have noticed a

Partridge-like habit of' roosting in a group, their heads pointing

in different directions, their tails coming closely together in the

centre. The old birds are seldom far apart, and seem much

attached to one another, though they seldom indulge in the

caresses which most Pigeons so often do. They seem to keep up

a running conversation in a low “ crooning” tone, as our Editor

has so well expressed it ; this doubtless serves to keep the birds

in touch when wandering about the bush. When the male meets

the female he often seems to go through a kind of show-off,

nodding his head and raising the feathers on his head and back,

and frequently salutes her with the coo proper, which is generally

a thrice repeated hurried coo, each accompanied by the usual

elevation of tail and wings. The birds are strictly terrestrial,

but are fond of perching on a stump or thick branch, once or

twice I have seen them perched on the small twigs of a bush, but

this is probably an acquired accomplishment. They never dust

like gallinaceous birds, and I have never seen them bathe, they

will lie on their side with one wing raised during a shower, like

other Pigeons; they are very peaceful and never fight, though one

day I noticed one defending itself against the attacks of a cock

Picui dove, which was flying furiously round its head, the reason

being that the Picui had had two young ones leave the nest on



