WHITE NUTMEG PIGEON 119 



fresh leaves of the Moreton Bay ash, with the petioles 

 towards the centre, forming a complex green star. No 

 doubt the arrangement of the leaves was accidental, but the 

 white dumpy egg as a pearl-like focus completed a quaint 

 device. Another egg reposed carelessly at the base of a 

 vigorous plant of Dendobrium undulatum, the old-gold 

 plumes of the orchid fantastically shading it. 



Those pigeons who elect to incubate on the ground 

 discard even the rude platform of twigs, which generally 

 represents the nest of those who prefer bushes and trees, 

 but gradually encircle themselves with tiny mounds of 

 ejected seeds, until the appearance of a nest is presented. 

 At the termination of the breeding season these birth- 

 places of the young are indicated by circular ramparts, in 

 the composition of which the aromatic nutmeg pre- 

 dominates. Personal experiments on the spot prove that 

 these nutmegs germinate less readily than those taken 

 direct from the tree. Planted with the red mace still 

 adherent the nuts are quite reliable ; others which have 

 been swallowed by the pigeon and ejected, though sub- 

 mitted to like conditions, fail in considerable proportion. 

 So that the oft-repeated theory that the Queensland 

 nutmeg requires primarily to undergo some chemical 

 process similar to that which takes place in the crop of the 

 pigeon to ensure germination, has no foundation whatever 

 in fact. The part the pigeon performs is to transport the 

 nut to free, unstifled soil. 



No bird is more precise and punctual in its visits. It 

 comes to its nesting-places and departs with almost 

 almanac-like regularity. It is a large bird as pigeons go, 

 and becomes wonderfully tame and trustful when undis- 

 turbed. Specimens may be procured in thousands. Blacks, 

 understanding their habits, climb particular trees known to 

 be well patronised, and as the birds swoop down to rest, 

 kill them easily with a swoop of a long slender stick, or 

 hurl nulla-nullas into the home-coming flocks, just as they 

 alight. It is not a good table bird, the flesh being dark, 

 tough, and of an earthy flavour — far inferior to the generality 



