16 
AN AUSTRALIAN BIRD BOOK. 
ORDER IV. — COLUMBIFORMES, PIGEONS, DOVES. 
F. 16. TRERONIDAE (8), FRUIT-PIGEONS, 228 sp.— 
159(155)A., 60(56)0., 1(1)P., 12(12)E. 
2 12 Topknot Pigeon, Lopholaimus antarcticus, E.A., T. 
2 (acc.) "Quook-quook." Stat. c. thick brushes 17 
"This noble pigeon;" under silvery-gray; upper dark-gray; 
crest rust-red; eyes orange; f., sim. Native fruits. 
their eggs. Thus the young have never known their parents. 
The eggs are laid in a huge mound of sand and earth, which con- 
tains rotting vegetation. The heat of decomposition in this re- 
markable natural incubator, is quite sufficient to hatch the eggs. 
The young are born fully feathered, able to run at once, and able 
to fly the day they leave the mound. Contrast their stage of 
development with that of a pigeon born naked, blind, and help- 
less, and that of a chick born clothed with down and able to run 
about. There is an interesting connexion between the size of 
an egg and the state of development of the young bird at birth. 
The pigeon lays a relatively small egg, so the young pigeon does 
not develop far in the egg, and requires much maternal care. The 
hen's egg is larger, and the chick is more fully developed. The 
Mallee-Hen's egg is enormous, and so the young can develop 
much further before birth. This bird, unfortunately, is doomed 
to early extinction, for the fox has discovered the rich store of 
food in the eggs, and country dwellers have also discovered that 
they are delicate in flavor, and are good food. It is hoped that 
