30 THE BIBDS OF AUSTRALIA 



Female and Young: Duller than male. Forehead grey, no purple 

 band on the erown, no vinous colour on breast, which is greyish, with 

 edge of feathers brownish. 



Nest the usual platform of twigs, generally built at a fork of 

 a horizontal limb. The two eggs are pure white, and measure 

 1.28 X .97 inch. 



The Brush Bronze-wing Pigeon. 



Phaps elegans. 



Australia and Tasmania. 



Forehead light yellow, crown grey, broad chestnut band behind eye; 

 hind neck and upper back chestnut; lower back and upper wing-eoverts 

 olive grey; a black line on the lores; triangular chestnut spot on throat; 

 greater wing-coverts metallic green on outer webs, with tips broadly 

 grey; centre tail feathers olive grey; next two pairs brown towards the 

 base; others grey; irides dark brown. Total length about 13 inches, wing 

 6.5, tail 4.5, bill 0.62, tarsus 0.95. 



Nest built of twigs, about five inches across, generally in a 

 bush. Two white eggs are laid, and they measure 1.30 x 

 .97 inch. 



The Flock Pigeon. 



Histriophaps histrionica. 



Northern and Central Australia. 



Adult Male: Forehead white, a white stripe from behind the eye 

 forming a circle round the ear coverts and gorget; remainder of head, 

 throat and ear-coverts jet black; all the upper surface, wing-coverts, 

 flanks and two centre tail-feathers cinnamon-brown; breast and abdomen 

 bluish grey; edge of wing white, inner secondaries with a patch of 

 metallic purple on the outer webs; lateral tail-feathers bluish grey at 

 the base, passing into black towards the extremity, which is white. 

 Total length about 11 inches, wing 8, tail 3.75, bill 0.75, tarsus 1. 



Female: No white on forehead, which is sandy rufous like the other 

 parts, and duller than male. 



As this bird is terrestrial, it lays on the bare ground, 

 although generally by some shelter. Two eggs are laid, 

 frequently pointed at one end; they are white, with a faint 

 creamy tone, and measure 1.30 x .98 inch. 



The White-quilled Rock Pigeon. 



Petrophassa albipennis. 



North-west Australia. 



Crown of head and neck greyish-brown, each feather margined with 

 sandy-brown; all the upper surface and chest rufous-brown; the centre 

 of each feather lighter; lores black; throat black, with the feathers 



