246 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



but the Australian Green-winged Dove (Chalcophaps chryso- 

 chlora), the Bronze-winged Pigeon (Phaps chalcoptera), and the 

 Australian Crested Pigeon (Ocyphaps lophotes) raise their wings 

 over their backs in front of the erected and spread tail ; as they 

 bow, both tail and flight feathers open and shut, whilst with 

 every action the birds utter a rapid grunting monosyllabic coo. 

 The hen Bronze-wing often mounts the cock bird when pairing, 

 and I supposed at first that this was owing to my male being 

 rather old and afflicted with gouty toes ; but my friend Mr. 

 Seth-Smith tells me that he has seen his birds behave in the 

 same manner. 



Wells's Ground-Dove (Leptoptila wellsi) behaves exactly in 

 the same way as the Peristeridce, and pairs freely with the 

 Martinican Dove, taking turns with it in sitting on the eggs, 

 but up to July of this year without result, the eggs not being 

 fertile. 



The Bleeding-heart Pigeon (Phlogoenas luzonica) rarely bows 

 to its hen, although I have seen it do so ; it usually races after 

 her at full speed, its head bobbing forwards at each step. As it 

 nears her it stops, depresses its tail, throws out its breast, draws 

 back its head, and utters a smothered coo, rocking backwards 

 and forwards on its feet ; it thus exhibits the beautiful deep 

 crimson-and-rose patch on the breast to perfection. I have also 

 seen it stop suddenly, quiver its wings, and utter a rapid "gu-gu- 

 gu-gu-gu-gu." When the hen Bleeding-heart persistently evades 

 its pursuer, he eventually loses his temper ; and then a new 

 feature is introduced into his wooing. As he still chases her, he 

 claps his wings over his back, making a sharp noise like the loud 

 crack of a whip ; this seems greatly to alarm the hen. I have 

 wondered whether a similar sound produced by our Goatsucker 

 is intended to subdue its mate. 



The Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) is a singularly 

 surly bird, and I have never seen him make any attempt to woo 

 his mate. All she ever got from him was a savage blow from his 

 powerful wing, or his almost equally powerful bill, accompanied 

 by a deep grunt. He is a great awkward cowardly bird, more 

 like a Guinea-fowl than a Pigeon; and, but for his brilliant 

 colouring, I do not think many aviculturists would care to 

 keep him. 



