266 On the Habits in Captivity of the Brush Bronzewing Pigeon .


building materials in the shape of fine twigs. If the hen does

not deign to come and inspect the site selected by her lord and

master, the latter becomes impatient and flies to her and

commences to chase her about, running and jumping after her,

and every now and then stopping to bow and throw up his

gorgeous wings over his back, spreading the tail, and uttering a

soft grunting coo at the. same time.


The Brush Bronzewing is rather smaller than its congener,

the Common Bronzwing ; and after having kept both species for

some time I must say that I much prefer the smaller kind, much

as I love my old friend P. chalcoptera.


Phaps elegans is about thirteen inches in length. The

male has the forehead bright chestnut; a band of the same

colour passes from the eyes to the occiput; lores black ; crown

dark grey; the hind neck and upper back rich chestnut with a

purplish tinge ; lower back and wings rich brown ; cheeks and

ear-coverts whitish ; a triangular patch of dark chestnut on the

throat ; lower cheeks and underparts delicate bluish-grey;

bright metallic green, copper, blue and red reflections on the

wing-coverts ; under wing-coverts light chestnut.


The female differs in having all her markings duller and

less distinct ; the breast and underparts dull brownish grey.


The young bird at 17 days old is dark brown above, each

feather having a narrow band of whitish buff at the tip ; a white

line from the base of the bill runs below the eye to the ear-

coverts ; underparts dark grey, the feathers more or less tipped

with whitish. At 26 days old a rich chestnut tinge has appeared

on the nape, and the borders of the feathers have become more

reddish. At this age the sexes can be distinguished, as the male

shows more chestnut on the nape and forehead, and white 011 the

cheeks.


At the age of nine or ten weeks the young bird moults

into the adult plumage.



