38 



BIRD GALLERY. 



Family III. ColumbiDjE. Pigeons. 



19^2(f 1 '^'^'^ family includes all the remaining species of the order. Of the 

 Ground Pigeons exhibited we may specially mention the Giant Crowned 

 Pigeons {Goura) (208, 209), the Grey-naped Ground-Pigeon {Otidiphaps 

 cervicahs) (210) from New Guinea, held by some to be an ally of 

 Didunculus, the Nicobar Pigeon (Calosnas nicobarica) (213) with its 

 remarkable metallic plumage and long neck-hackles, the Wonga-wonga 

 {Leucosarcia picata) (214) from East Australia, and the beautiful 

 Bartlett's Blood-breasted Pigeon {Phlogcenas crinigera) (215) from the 

 Philippines. In all these it will be noted the length of the leg is very 

 conspicuously greater than in the tree-haunting type of Pigeon. 

 [Case 19.1 Above these will be seen the beautiful Bronze- winged Dove 

 {Chalcophaps indica) (227), and the diminutive Long-tailed AfricauDove 

 {(Ena capensis) (228), one of the smallest of all the Pigeons. Next come 

 the more familiar species belonging to the genera Turfur and Columba. 

 Of the former the Turtle-Dove {T. turtur) (231) may be specially 

 mentioned, and of the latter the Stock-Dove (237), the Rock-Dove (238), 

 and the Wood- Pigeon (239), all common species in the British Isles. 

 The Rock-Dove is noteworthy, as from this species all the domesticated 

 varieties have been derived. The handsome Reinwardt's Cuckoo-Dove 

 [Reinwardtcenas reinwardti) (240) and the Passenger Pigeon [Ectopistes 

 migratorius) (241), of Eastern North America, complete the more 

 noticeable species in this Case. The latter species is now almost extinct, 

 though only a few years ago it was met with in such countless flocks 

 that a colony seen by the naturalist Wilson on one occasion was 

 estimated to consist of more than 3,230 millions ! As late as 1878 a 

 "roost" of these birds, at Petosky in Michigan, occupied an area twenty- 

 eight miles long by three or four broad. During the nesting season 

 millions of birds are said to have been slaughtered without producing 

 any appreciable reduction in their numbers. 

 [Case 20.] Resplendent colours are characteristic of the Fruit-Pigeons, though 

 green may be said to be the predominant tone. Some, such as the 

 Chatham Island form {Hemiphaga chathamensis) (249), exhibited on the 

 floor of this Case, are of large size, and a curious crested species, 

 Lopholeemus antarcticus (248) fi'om New South Wales, will be found 

 r.ear it. The Nutmeg-Pigeon [Myristicivora bicolor) (250) from the 

 Malay Archipelago is a striking form, pure white with the flight-feathers 

 and tip of the tail black. Among the more brilliantly coloured forms 

 are the Orange Fruit-Pigeon [Chrysoenas victor) (262) from the Fiji 

 Islands, and the Jambu Fruit-Pigeon (Ptilopus jambu) (271) from 

 Borneo. The Red-crowned Pigeon ' (.^/ec^rcenas pulcher7-ima) (261) 

 from the Seychelles represents a remarkable little group, one of which. 



