PERISTERA CHALCOPTERA, sw

Bronze-winged Pigeon.

ans.

Columba chalcoptera, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. ii. p. 604.—Wagl. Syst. Av. Columb
q i . pt: YS. £ . um 5 Hh
Colombe lumachelle, Temm. Pig., fol. 2nde fam. pl. 8. p. 17.—Ib. Pig. et Gall a ek
La Tourterelle aux ailes dorées, Sonn. edit. de Buff., tom. vii p. 309 i oo
oe ee Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 266.—Phill. Bot. Bay pl. in p. 162.—White’s J
: a ) i ie ey . Bay, pl. . 162.—White’s Journ.,
Pp ap 46 haw, Lev. Mus., p. 227. pl. 55.—Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. viii 31.—Steph. C
Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 17, and vol. xiv. p- 280 ; oe oe
Peristera chalcoptera, Swains. Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 349
Phaps chalcoptera, Selby, Nat. Lib. Orn., vol. v. Pi
; y, Nat. : =: . v. Pigeons, p. 195. 21.— 7, Li i
oo g , p. 195. pl. 21.—G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd
Oo-da, Aborigines of Western Australia.
Ar-a-way-ra-wa, Aborigines of Port Essington.
Bronze Pigeon, Colonists of Swan River.

 

T oT : ; oe
HE Bronze-winged Pigeon is so generally distr er ¢ . : : .

: Bs ; so generally distributed over all parts of Australia, that, without a single
exception, the colonists of every se av 2 “T i i - : :
: E ; : every as 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
en ae 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
-wing, but every other bird inhabiting the neighbourhood : few if any of the

observing not only the Bronze
but, on the other hand, those species that

true insectivorous or fissirostral birds came to the water-holes ;

live upon grain and seeds, particularly the Parrots and Honey-eaters ( Trichoglossi and Meliphagz), 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
It did not descend at once to the edge of the pool, but dashed

swiftness, either singly or in pairs.
a short time, then walked leisurely

down to the ground at about ten yards’ distance, remained quiet for
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; 1e appearance of the country may be, if he
observes the Bronze-wing wending its way from a
When rain has fallen in abundance, and the rivers and lagoons are
surface of the surrounding country, the

and however arid tl
Il quarters to a given point, he may be certain to

procure a supply of food and water.

filled not only to the brim, but the water has spread over the
“onze-Wing and many other

isite to their existence rendering it no lo

case is materially altered; then the Bi birds are not so easily procured, the

abundant supply of the element so requ
should brave every danger in procuring it.
It has been supposed that a partial migrat
which I think is very probable, as its numbers are
season is over, both the adults and young resort to the
an rarely be procured at a shot, fror
r condition than at any other.
it must yield the palm in thi
ng (Geophaps scripta),
d is of that colour.
kinds of leguminous seeds that

nger necessary that they

akes place from time to time, a circumstance

ion of this species t
After the breeding

sometimes suddenly increased.
stubble fields of the settlers in such abundance, that
n twenty to thirty brace may be killed in a

although more than one ¢ i
Although, as I have before stated, the

day; and at this season it is in bette
Bronze-wing is an excellent article of food,
(Leucosarcia picata) and the Partridge Bronze-wil
in flavour, while the internal pectoral muscle only of the present bir

The Bronze-wing feeds entirely upon the ground, where it finds the various

s respect to the Wonga-wonga Pigeon
whose flesh is white and more delicate