164 



CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



without any further movement of the pinions. Upon alighting on a branch it elevates its tail and 

 throws back, its head so as to bring them nearly together, at the same time erecting its crest and 

 showing itself to the utmost advantage." 



The nest of this species is built on low trees or bushes, and is very slightly formed of a few twigs. 

 The eggs are white and two in number. According to Captain Sturt, this bird has a particular 

 partiality for the Polygonum geranium, never ascends to higher land if near extensive marshes covered 

 with this plant, and is always found in river-valleys where it grows. 



THE CRESTED BRONZE-WING [OcyphapS lophotes). 



The TRUE BRONZE-WINGS {Phaps) are stoutly-framed birds, with long wings and short 

 tails ; their beak almost equals the head in length ; the powerful tarsus is shorter than the middle toe, 

 and the second and third quills in the pinions are longer than the rest. 



THE COMMON BRONZE-WING. 



The Common Bronze-wing {Phaps chakoptey-a) is brown on the mantle, deep brown at the back 

 of the head, and a rich deep red on the under side, shading into grey on the belly; the brow and a line 

 under the eyes and on the throat are yellowish white ; the sides of the throat are grey ; the feathers 

 on the wing-covers adorned with oval copper-bronze patches, and two or three of the secondary quills 

 Tvith glossy green spots ; the centre tail-feathers are browm, the rest deep grey. The eye is dark 

 reddish brown, the beak blackish grey, and the foot carmine-red. The female is without the light 

 streak upon her brow ; her plumage is also greyer, and has fewer bright metallic spots than that of 

 her mate. 



