NUTMEG PIGEON. 
Eggs. Clutch, one ; an egg from the North Barnard Islands, collected on November 20th, 
1891, is smooth and glossy; pure white in colour. Measurements of two eggs, 
axis 44-46 mm. ; diameter 30 mm. 
Breeding season. November to January (Ramsay). 
Mr. Ramsay'^-' writes : “During the months from October until the end of April, 
when they leave, this species is very numerous all over the Rockingham Bay 
district. Early in the morning, as soon as it is light enough, they leave their 
roosting places in large flocks, and betake themselves to their feeding grounds, 
dispersing over the scrubs and among the various species of Acmena and 
Jambosa which line the margins of the Herbert River. Towards evening they 
assemble, and leaving the feeding-grounds, return to roost on the mangrove 
islands in Hinchenbrook Channel, and around the coast and mouths of the 
rivers, often flying a distance of 40 miles night and morning. The tops of the 
mangroves on which they roost are literally white with birds ; and notwith- 
standing the disturbance and havock committed among them by shooting- 
parties, they continue to arrive rmtil dark. They breed on these islands, 
building little or no nest, a few sticks placed so as to prevent the eggs from 
rolling away being considered sufficient. Young, almost fledged, were brought 
to me in January ; but many at this time were laying their eggs. When freshly 
killed the concealed portions of the feathers on the body are of a beautiful 
delicate rosy salmon hue, which fades soon after death.” 
Mr. Macleayt observes : “ We found that it [If. spilorrhoa] commenced 
its migration southwards [from New Guinea] in the month of July ; at that 
time the low islands of Torres Straits were covered with them, their favourite 
fruit — the date plum — being then ripe and abundant.” 
From Mr. Jardine’s notes]: I gather the following : “ These birds arrive 
at Cape York from New Guinea in August, a few coming in July. The early 
arrivals do not stay at Cape York, but continue their flight further southward 
to the mangrove-covered islands along the coast. They commence nesting 
at once, the earlier arrivals bringing up perhaps four broods during their eight 
months’ sojourn in Australia. During the term of incubation the male birds 
carry food for the females in their crops from the mainland. Immediately after 
daylight, when the birds commence to leave for their feeding-groimds, and ^gain 
at dusk when they return, the sound made by their cooings is one deep unbroken, 
monotonous boom, which when approaching an island may be heard for some 
distance. The fruits and berries which these birds live on are very plentiful 
during their stay.” 
The bird flgured and described is a male collected at Bellenden Ker, 
Queensland, by Mr. Olive on November 28th, 1899, the tree being the nut-meg tree. 
* P.Z.S., p. 115 (1876), 
t P.L.S., N.S.W. I., p. 37, (1876). 
t Emu, III., p. 181 (1904). 
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