MY FOREIGN DOVES AND PIGEONS. 



as much as 50/- a pair, or odd ones for as little as 

 7/6 or less. The French call this pigeon Lunna- 

 chelle. It is a very hardy bird, and can stand the 

 winter out of doors. 



Brush Bronze-wing Pigeon and Nest. 



I. — Female on Nest, Male Perched near. 



2. — Nestling, 16 days old. 



3. — Male Covering Nestlings. 



Flwlo by Mr. D. Selh-Smilh. 

 From Tli4 Avicultural Magazine, 



BRUSH BRONZE-WING PIGEON. 



[Phaps elegans). 



Habitat. — Southern Australia, from Swan River 

 on the west to Moreton Bay on the east, Tasmania, 

 and Islands in Bass's Straits. 



Length. — About 13 inches. Shape, rounded, 

 and well proportioned. 



Colouring. — Adult male — Crown of head grey, 

 forehead bright sable red. A white line runs 

 behind the eye ; the breast and neck slate grey, a 

 triangular patch of dark chestnut on the throat. 

 Back of neck and mantle reddish chocolate; back 

 and wings warm chestnut. The bands of metallic 

 feathers very vivid across the wings. The first 

 band shows green and orange-red reflections, the 

 second band blue and green. 



The adult female has breast and neck dun-grey. 

 Back, wings and tail olive-brown ; the forehead 

 and top of head dun-grey, sometimes slightly chest- 

 nut ; the sides of head and over eye rich chestnut, 

 coming down over the back of the neck, and out- 

 lining the sides of the throat. There is a creamy 

 white patch behind the eye. The metallic colours 

 are on the wings, but not so large nor rich in 

 colour as the cock. The eyes of both birds are 

 round and dark, the feet and legs in both sexes 

 bright pink-red. The youn^- birds are brownish 

 with the edges of the feathers rufous brown. At 

 26 days old a rich chestnut tinge has appeared on 

 the neck. The sexes can then be distinguished, 

 the male showing more white on the cheeks and 

 chestnut on the nape and forehead. At the age of 

 nine or ten weeks the 3fOung bird has changed into 

 the adult plumage. 



WILD life. 

 This pigeon prefers the more scrubby localities, 

 especially those that are low and swampy. Gould 

 writes: "I have never seen it perch on the 

 branches of trees. When flushed it rises with a 

 loud burring noise similar to that made by the 

 rising of a partridge." "It is a very difficult bird 

 to shoot, from it inhabiting the denser part of the 

 scrub, from which it is not easily driven. It flies 

 but little, rarely for a greater distance than to cross 

 a gully or lop a ridge before it again abruptly 

 descends into the scrub. Its food consists of seeds 

 and berries of various kinds, particularly in 

 Tasmania of a plant called Boobyaller." Its note 

 is low and mournful, and is given at evening more 

 than any other time. 



