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THE NICOBAR PIGEON 
black near the tip. The breast is purple-brown, fading into gray on the abdomen. The eyes 
are reddish-brown, and the legs and feet crimson. 
Or all this group of birds, the Wonga-Wonga Pigeon is the most celebrated for the 
whiteness, plumpness, and delicacy of its flesh, which, when eaten with bread sauce, is of such 
remarkable excellence, that the remembrance always excites the liveliest reminiscences in 
those who have partaken of so great a dainty. 
The Wonga-Wonga Pigeon is a native of Australia, but is not spread generally over the 
country, being found mostly, if not wholly, among the bushes along the coast of New South 
W ales, or the sides of the hills of the interior. According to Mr. Gould, it inhabits the same 
district as the bush turkey, the satin bower-bird, and the lyre-bird. It lives mostly on the 
ground, feeding upon the stones and seeds of fallen fruit. When disturbed, it suddenly rises 
from the ground with a loud whirring rush like that of the pheasant, and, like that bird, rather 
startles the novice with the noise. It does not maintain a long flight ; but either directs its 
course to a neighboring tree, or again settles upon the earth. 
In color it is a very conspicuous bird. The forehead and chin are white, and a jetty-black 
line passes from the eye to the base of the bill. The sides of the head are gray, the back and 
upper surface are slate-gray, and the chest is deep blackish-gray, with a very broad white 
band crossing the chest and running up the sides of the neck. The abdomen is white, the 
under coverts dark brown tipped with buff, and the flanks are also white, but agreeably 
diversified with a bold black spot near the tip of each feather. The beak is red tipped with 
black, the eyes are dark brown with pink orbits, and the legs are bright pink. 
NICOBAR PIGEON .— Cattomas nicobarica. 
The Nicobae Pigeon may fairly be reckoned among the more magnificent species belong- 
ing to the Pigeon tribe ; the long-pointed feathers of the neck and shoulders glowing with 
resplendent green, bronze, and steely-blue, and having a peculiarly attractive effect as they 
droop towards the ground, their loose points waving in the wind, and their hues changing with 
every movement. Like others of the sub-family to which it belongs, it is mostly a terrestrial 
bird. As its name imports, it is most commonly found in Nicobar ; but it also inhabits Java, 
Sumatra, and many neighboring islands. 
The head of this Pigeon is slaty-blue, with a purplish cast, which is more conspicuous in 
