GEOPHAPS PLUMIFERA, 
Plumed Partridg’e Bronze-wing\ 
Gould, 
Geophaps plumifera, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 8, 1842. 
This rare and highly interesting species of Pigeon was sent me by my friend B. Bynoe, Esq., who procured 
it on the north-west coast of Australia. The notes accompanying the bird informed me that “ it inhabits 
the country between Cape Hotham and the island of Depiich ; the specimen sent is from the isolated water 
reaches about 150 miles up the Victoria River. It congregates on the ground and rises like a Quail, 
plunging immediately afterwards in the thick long grass.” 
In its structure and markings it closely assimilates to the other members of the genus Geophaps ; but 
widely differs from them in its diminutive size, and in the possession of a long and graceful crest springing 
from the occiput, a character which exists in several of the Gallimcea, and is familiar to every one in the 
pretty Pewit or Lapwing {Vanellus cristatiis') of the British Islands. 
Lores and orbits naked, and of a yellowish red ; head furnished with a lengthened occipital crest, which 
with the crown, sides of the neck and chest, and under part of the wing, are light ferruginous ; chin black ; 
throat handed alternately with white and black, the latter colour extending to the ear-coverts ; on the chest 
two semilunar maiLs of white, which meeting form a point in the centre ; middle of the abdomen light buff ; 
under tail-coverts brown, with lighter edges ; back of the neck, hack, rump and upper tail-coverts rufous 
brown ; wings light ferruginous, with the basal half of the feathers silvery grey, the two colours separated 
by a transverse band of black ; primaries rufous brown ; secondaries brown, with a large patch of bronze- 
purple towards their tips ; tail black ; bill black ; feet reddish brown. 
The figures are of the natural size. 
