24 



THE BIRDS OP AUSTRALIA 



Nest a frail structure of twigs, often built at the end of a 

 branch over a watercourse in the scrub. The one egg is white, 

 sometimes slightly elongated, and measures 1.43 x .95 inch. 



Australian Museum. 

 Purple-breasted Fruit Pigeon : Megaloprepia magnifica. 



The Nutmeg Pigeon. 



Myristicivora spilorrhoa. 



Northern Australia, New Guinea, Aru Islands. 



Creamy white; winglot, primary coverts, primaries and secondaries 

 black; tertiaries white, terminal portion of tail black, longer in the centre; 

 under tail coverts, vent and flanks white with regular sub-apical black 

 spots; legs and feet blue. Length 16 inches, wing 9, tail 5, bill 0.8, 

 tarsus 1.2. 



Nest occasionally frail, but usually substantially built, 

 often composed of green twigs with the leaves on; built 

 at varying heights from the ground. They lay one egg,' which 

 is white and measures 1.75 x 1.22 inch. 



