CRESTED PIGEON. 
Nest. “ A slight, flat structure of twigs, usually placed in a bush — polygonum, hakea, 
salt, etc. — or low tree, sometimes on a stump ” (Campbell). 
Eggs. “ Clutch, two ; elHptical in shape, sharply nipped off at one end ; texture of shell 
fine ; surface glossy ; pure white. Dimensions in inches 1.32 to 1.29 by .92 to .93” 
(Campbell). 
Breeding season. All the year round (Berney). 
Incuhation-'period. In captivity, fourteen days (Sclater) ; nineteen days (Butler). 
Mr. Tom Garter sends me the following notes : “ On the Gascoyne River, in 
North-west Australia, in 1887, numbers of these Pigeons used to come and 
drink at the sheep-troughs as the season was a dry one. Several times I have 
killed four or five at a shot. I also saw large flocks in Western Australia, 
similar to those seen by Gould in New South Wales.” 
Mr. T. P. Sandland, writing from Burra, in South Australia, says : “ These 
birds are plentiful on the polygonum flats fronting the River Murray, but rare 
in the back country.” 
Mr. C. F. Belcher says : “I have only once seen this bird in Southern 
Victoria. In 1888, several made their appearance in Eastern Park, in Geelong.” 
Gould* found it plentiful on the banks of the Namoi River. He says : 
“ It frequently assembles in very large flocks, and when it visits the lagoons or 
river-sides for water, during the dry seasons, generally selects a single tree, or 
even a particular branch, on which to congregate before descending simultaneously 
to drink. 
“ Its flight is so rapid as to be unequalled by that of any member of the 
group to which it belongs ; an impetus being acquired by a few quick flaps of the 
wings, it goes skimming off apparently without any further movement of the 
pinions. Upon alighting on a branch it elevates its tail and throws back its 
head, so as to bring them nearly together, at the same time erecting its crest, 
and showing itself off to the utmost advantage.” 
Mr. Heartland, I who collected examples in Central Australia, says : 
“ All along the route these beautiful birds were found at the water-holes morning 
and evening, but during the day they scattered through the forests and scrub. 
At Goyder’s WeU they came in numbers soon after sunrise, and alighting about 
one hundred yards from the water, congregated on a small hillock for a few 
minutes to plume their feathers. They then marched in procession dWn to 
drink. In the flocks very young birds were often present, and also females 
containing eggs in the oviduct, thus showing their sociable habits during breeding 
time.” 
The bird figured and described is a male, collected at Alexander, Northern 
Territory, by the late W. Stalker, on September 23rd, 1905. 
* Gould’s Handb. B. Auatr., II., p. 139 (1865). 
f Rep. Horn. Sc. Exp., II., p. 99 (1906). 
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