TONS OF ID) Or CG Onn Ixxi

431. Geophaps plumifera, Gould : é ; NO Vele 69:

“Lat. 17° 30', March 6. I was fortunate enough to kill for the first time Geophaps plumifera, a species
hitherto only known from a single specimen sent home by Mr. Bynoe of H.M.S. Beagle. The irides are bright
orange, the naked skin before and surrounding the eyes bright crimson; the bill dark greenish grey ; the scales of
the legs and toes greenish grey; skin between the scales light ashy grey. Its flight and actions on the ground are
precisely similar to those of the other species of the genus. I only saw the specimen I killed, but afterwards
learned that one of my companions had seen a flock rise precisely like Geophaps scripta.”’— Gilbert's Journal.

“It was on the return of my party from the eastern extremity of Cooper’s Creek,” says Captain Sturt, “ that
we first saw and procured specimens of this beautiful little bird. Its locality was entirely confined to about thirty
miles along the banks of the creek in question; it was generally perched on some rock fully exposed to the sun’s
rays, and evidently taking a pleasure in basking in the tremendous heat. It was very wild and took wing on
hearing the least noise, but its flight was short and rapid. In the afternoon this little pigeon was seen running in
the grass on the creek side, and could hardly be distinguished from a quail. It never perched on the trees ; when
it dropped after rising from the ground, it could seldom be flushed again, but ran with such speed through the

grass as to elude our search.”

Genus Ocyruars, Gould.

Generic characters.

Head furnished with a lengthened occipital crest; wings rather short, the third primary gradually narrowed
to a point ; tail rather long and much rounded; tarsi as long as the middle toe; the inner foe shorter than the
outer.

A genus consisting of a single species whose natural habitat is the basin of the interior of Australia, over the
vast expanse of which its long pomted wings enable it to pass at pleasure from one district to another whenever
a scarcity of food prompts it so to do: although mainly terrestrial in its habits, it is more frequently seen on the

trees than the members of the genus Phaps ; its food consists of small seeds and berries.

432. Ocyphaps Lophotes : : : ; Wall, Wo IPs, 7/0),

Genus Perropuassa, Gould.

Generic characters.

As in Ocyphaps, but with the wings shorter, more rounded and destitute of the bronzy lustre; and with a
more rounded tail.

So little is known respecting the single species of this Australian genus that I am unable to say more than

that it inhabits rocky situations near the sea-coast.

433. Petrophassa albipennis, Gould . Wolk Ve RIE 71k

Genus Grore.ia, Swains.

A form of Ground Doves very generally distributed over the Indian Islands and Australia, and of which three
or four species are peculiar to the latter country ; grassy hills, flats and extensive plains are the situations these
birds affect, consequently in Australia they are almost exclusively confined to the interior ; they pass over the
ground in a quiet and peaceful manner ; and when disturbed fly to some neighbouring tree, descend again almost

immediately and search about for the minute seeds of annuals and other plants, upon which they principally

subsist.
434. Geopelia humeralis . ; : ; ; ; : : Vol; Ble 72:
435. Geopelia tranquilla, Gould : : : : : : : : Wolk Ve EE 73:

436. Geopelia placida, Gould.

 

 

 

 

 

S
ee
5;

;

q

i

ee er as eS Neen oO oa