Part 37

Phaps chalcoptera, Selby, Nat. Lib. Orn., vol. v. Pigeons, p. 195. pl. 21.—G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd edit. p. 75.

Ȍo-da, Aborigines of Western Australia.

Ar-a-wȁr-ra-wa, Aborigines of Port Essington.

Bronze Pigeon, Colonists of Swan River.

The Bronze-winged Pigeon is so generally distributed over all parts of Australia, that, without a single exception, the colonists of every settlement have found the surrounding country inhabited by this fine bird. Specimens from Port Essington, Swan River, Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales differ so little from each other, either in their size or markings, that they must all be regarded as one and the same species, the slight differences that do occur being too trivial to be considered as other than mere local variations.

It is a plump, heavy bird, weighing when in good condition fully a pound; and its pectoral muscles being deep and fleshy, it constitutes a most excellent viand and is constantly eaten by every class of persons, being equally acceptable at the table of the Governor and at that of the inmate of a log-hut in the interior of the country. Its amazing powers of flight enable it to pass in an incredibly short space of time over a great expanse of country, and just before sunset it may be observed swiftly winging its way over the plains or down the gullies to its drinking-place. During the long drought of 1839–40, when I was encamped at the northern extremity of the Brezi range, I had daily opportunities of observing the arrival of this bird to drink; the only water for miles, as I was assured by the natives, being that in the immediate vicinity of my tent, and that was merely the scanty supply left in a few small natural basins in the rocks, which had been filled by the rains of many months before. This peculiar situation afforded me an excellent opportunity for observing not only the Bronze-wing, but every other bird inhabiting the neighbourhood: few if any of the true insectivorous or fissirostral birds came to the water-holes; but, on the other hand, those species that live upon grain and seeds, particularly the Parrots and Honey-eaters (Trichoglossi and Meliphagi), were continually rushing down to the edges of the pools, utterly regardless of my presence, their thirst for water quite overcoming their sense of danger; seldom, if ever, however, did the Bronze-wing make its appearance during the heat of the day, but at sundown, on the contrary, it arrived with arrow-like swiftness, either singly or in pairs. It did not descend at once to the edge of the pool, but dashed down to the ground at about ten yards’ distance, remained quiet for a short time, then walked leisurely to the water, and after taking libations deep and frequent, winged its way to its roosting-place for the night: with a knowledge, therefore, of the habits of this bird, the weary traveller may always perceive when he is in the vicinity of water; and however arid the appearance of the country may be, if he observes the Bronze-wing wending its way from all quarters to a given point, he may be certain to procure a supply of food and water. When rain has fallen in abundance, and the rivers and lagoons are filled not only to the brim, but the water has spread over the surface of the surrounding country, the case is materially altered; then the Bronze-wing and many other birds are not so easily procured, the abundant supply of the element so requisite to their existence rendering it no longer necessary that they should brave every danger in procuring it.

It has been supposed that a partial migration of this species takes place from time to time, a circumstance which I think is very probable, as its numbers are sometimes suddenly increased. After the breeding season is over, both the adults and young resort to the stubble fields of the settlers in such abundance, that although more than one can rarely be procured at a shot, from twenty to thirty brace may be killed in a day; and at this season it is in better condition than at any other. Although, as I have before stated, the Bronze-wing is an excellent article of food, it must yield the palm in this respect to the Wonga-wonga Pigeon (Leucosarcia picata) and the Partridge Bronze-wing (Geophaps scripta), whose flesh is white and more delicate in flavour, while the internal pectoral muscle only of the present bird is of that colour.

The Bronze-wing feeds entirely upon the ground, where it finds the various kinds of leguminous seeds that constitute its food. It breeds during August and the four following months, and often rears two or more broods; the eggs are white and two in number, one inch and three-eighths long and one inch broad.

Its nest, which is very similar to that of the other members of the family, is a frail structure of small twigs, rather hollow in form, and is usually placed on the horizontal branch of an apple- or gum-tree near the ground, those trees growing on flat meadow land near water being evidently preferred. This species is very frequently seen in confinement, both in its native country and in England, but I have not heard whether it will or will not breed in captivity. At Swan River it is said to be migratory, and to be met with in the interior of that part of the country in large flocks. At Port Essington, on the contrary, it would seem to be stationary, as Mr. Gilbert mentions that it is found equally abundant in all parts of the country; its nest is there placed upon the branches of the Banksias.

Forehead in some deep buff, in others buffy white; line under the eye and the chin yellowish white; crown of the head and occiput dark brown, bounded on the sides with plum-colour; sides of the neck grey; back of the neck and all the upper surface brown, each feather margined with tawny brown; wings brown with paler edges; each of the coverts with an oblong spot of rich lustrous coppery bronze on the outer web near the base, the outline of which towards the extremity of the feather is sharply defined; tip of each of the coverts grey fading into white on the extreme tip; two or three of the tertiaries with an oblong spot of lustrous green on their outer webs at the base, bounded by a narrow line of buff; two centre tail-feathers brown; the remainder deep grey, crossed by a band of black near the tip; under surface of the wing and inner edges of the primaries and secondaries ferruginous; breast deep vinaceous, passing into greyish on the centre of the abdomen and under tail-coverts; irides dark reddish brown; bill blackish grey; legs and feet carmine-red.

The figures represent the male and female of the natural size, the latter in the agonies of death from a shot-wound.

PERISTERA ELEGANS.

J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. C. Hullmandel Imp. ]

PERISTERA ELEGANS. Brush Bronze-winged Pigeon.

Columba elegans, Colombe Labrador, Temm. Pig., fol. 2d. fam. pl. 22. p. 56.—Temm. Pig. et Gall., tom. ii. pp. 240 and 466.—Wagl. Syst. Av. Columba, sp. 58.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 43.

Opaline Pigeon, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. viii. p. 33.

Columba Lawsonii, Sieber, Isis No. 67.

Ȍo-da, Aborigines of Western Australia.

Little Bronze Pigeon, Colonists of Swan River.

This species is neither so plentiful nor so widely distributed as the Common Bronze-wing (Peristera chalcoptera); it is, however, tolerably abundant in Van Diemen’s Land, the islands in Bass’s Straits, and the whole of the southern portion of the Australian continent, from Swan River on the west to Moreton Bay on the east. In Van Diemen’s Land it is very numerous, all along the north coast from Circular Head to the north-eastern corner of the island. Its habits and economy are somewhat peculiar: I have never seen it perch on the branches of a tree, nor have I heard of any one who has; neither is it an inhabitant of the open plains, but affects the most scrubby localities, giving preference to such as are low and swampy. When flushed it rises very quickly with a loud burring noise similar to that made by the rising of a partridge, which bird it also much resembles in its carriage and contour when on the ground. The shortness of its wings and tail, and the extreme depth of its pectoral muscle, render its appearance more plump and round than that of the generality of Pigeons. It is a very difficult bird to shoot, from its inhabiting the most dense parts of the scrub, from which it is not easily driven. It flies but little, rarely for a greater distance than to cross a gully or top a ridge before it again abruptly descends into the scrub.

Its food consists of seeds and berries of various kinds, particularly in Van Diemen’s Land of a plant there called Boobyaller.

I believe it never migrates, but merely removes from one locality to another, as food may be more or less abundant.

Its note is more lengthened than that of the Common Bronze-wing, and is also a more low and mournful strain, and is more often repeated towards the close of the evening than at any other time. As an article of food it is by no means to be despised, being, I should say, even preferable to the Common Bronze-wing, to which species it offers a nearer alliance in colour than in form. On a comparison of the structure of the two birds they will be found to differ materially, the wings of the present species being shorter, and the tail comprising a smaller number of feathers than that of the other.

The sexes differ so little in the colouring of their plumage that dissection is requisite to distinguish them.

In Western Australia it has been observed to breed sometimes on the ground and at others among the grass, or in a fork of the Xanthorrhœa or grass-tree; the nest being formed of a few small sticks, and the eggs as usual being white and two in number, fifteen lines long by eleven lines broad.

Forehead light chestnut; lores black; crown of the head and nape dark grey; a broad line of rich deep chestnut commences at the posterior part of the eye and unites at the occiput; on the throat a small gorget-shaped mark of reddish chestnut; all the upper surface rich deep lustrous chestnut, becoming gradually paler on the rump and upper tail-coverts; primaries dark brown with pale edges, and broadly margined on the base of their external webs with ferruginous; a few of the wing-coverts with an oblong spot of rich lustrous coppery bronze on the outer web near the base, the outline of which towards the extremity of the feather is sharply defined and bounded by a line of whitish grey; others of the coverts are similarly ornamented with a spot of golden-green, and others with deep bluish green, bounded by a more conspicuous line of white; four central tail-feathers brown; the remainder grey at the base and tipped with brown, the two colours separated by a broad band of dull black, which band is continued, but is much less apparent upon the central feathers; sides of the neck and all the under surface grey, which becomes paler on the abdomen and under tail-coverts; irides very dark brown; feet bright pink-red.

The figures represent the two sexes of the natural size.

PERISTERA HISTRIONICA: Gould.