34 RUDOLF SÖDERBERG, STUDIES OF THE BIRDS IN NORTH WEST AUSTRALIA. 
coverts are tipped with white, not black, and there is a black-brown spot on the 
outer web of the two last ones. 
Moulting. — Nearly all these specimens, shot in Jan., May and July, are 
moulting. In the male of "/1, for instance, the neck and head are moulting to some 
extent and the Sth and 9th primaries in each wing are also growing out. The female 
of the ”'/h is in a typical state of moulting, having pins on neck, head, back and 
some also in the largest wingcoverts. In the tail the outermost feathers are new, 
but the centre ones not yet cast. 
Ecological. — The peaceful dove was one of the most common birds of the 
bush both at all the places we visited just by or near the coast as well as inland. 
Thus it was found just as frequently in the neighbourhood of Mowla Downs as in 
Sunday Islande' I have, however, not met with it in great flocks, but generally 
in small parties. Like the following species it very often stayed on the ground. Its 
behaviour, when the male is cooing and paying his attentions to the female, differs 
from that of our doves. Uttering its shrill cooing of two tones the male runs some 
steps towards the female, then he bows, but instead of drawing his tail on the ground, 
he lifts it and spreads it out like a fan, so that the pretty white ornamentation 
appears. The craw is certainly puffed up a little, but it is not shining like metal 
and not made up for the sake of embellishment, so that here it is evidently the 
tail-feathers, that are significant in that respect. 
On the l4th and 2lst of Febr. 1911 I found its two white eggs on Sunday 
Island. The nest was extraordinarily simple, built in a tree and made up of small 
twigs and sprigs. When leaving the nest it behaved as if it were hurt. It flew 
away in an unsteady flight and hopped about on the ground with a tottering motion. 
Geopelia cuneata LATH. 
Math. handl. n:r 35. SJ ad. Nooncanbah !6/12 1910, moult.; 9 ad. Meda, Derby 12/5 1911, moult. 
The specimen, shot in Dec., has just finished its moulting. The May specimen 
is moulting in neck and head, otherwise it has old feathers all over the body. This 
species, like the former, was found in all the places we visited. It was not so com- 
mon as the other, in some places being rather scarce. It resembled the former in 
its manner of living. 
Phaps chalcoptera LATH. 
Math. handl. n:r 37. J ad. S:t George's ranges ?5/2 1911, moult. 
Moulting. — The specimen is at the end of its moulting. The outermost tail- 
feathers are nearly grown out. The centre ones have not yet been cast. The white 
part of the throat especially is still moulting. 
