86 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
PLATE XI 1 1 
GROUND-FEEDING PIGEONS AND DOVES 
1. Peaceful Dove Geopelia placida Gould 
Ge-o-pel-i-a — Gk, ge, earth; Gk, pelia ( peleia ), dove: pld-cid-a — L., 
placidus, quiet. 
Distribution. — Australia (except the south-western portion). 
Notes . — Also called Ground-dove and Doo-doo. Usually in pairs or 
small flocks, frequenting open forest country ; it is frequently seen on the 
sides of roads and near homesteads. Call-note, a melodious cooing — 
“Doo-del-oo.” Food: seeds of grasses and herbaceous plants, procured 
on the ground. 
Nest. — A frail platform of thin twigs, laid crosswise or interlaced 
together. Usually placed on a horizontal forked branch of a tree at 
heights up to 20 feet or more from the ground. 
Eggs. — Usually two, pure white. Breeding-season: August to Janu- 
ary; throughout the year if conditions suitable. 
2. Diamond-dove Geopelia cuneata Latham 
cun-e-a-ta — L., cuneatus, wedge-shaped. 
Distribution. — Australia (except the coastal districts of south- 
eastern Australia). 
Notes. — Also called Little Dove, Turtle-dove, and Red-eyed Dove. 
Usually in pairs or flocks, chiefly frequenting country in the neighbour- 
hood of rivers and permanent water. It has a rather mournful call; 
this species is fearless in disposition. Food: seeds of grasses and herb- 
aceous plants, procured on the ground. 
Nest. — A frail structure of thin twigs, portions of climbing plants, 
grasses. Placed in a fork of a low bush or tree, often in a dead bush 
or on top of a stump. 
Eggs. — Usually two, pure white. Breeding-season: September to 
December or January (New South Wales) ; May to September (north- 
western Australia). 
3. Bar-shouldered Dove Geopelia humeralis Temminck 
hu-mer-a-lis — L., humeralis , shouldered. 
Distribution. — North-western Australia, Northern Territory, Queens- 
land, and northern New South Wales; also occurs in New Guinea. 
Notes . — Also called Barred-shouldered Dove and Mangrove-dove. 
