. Cassell's book of birds . streak upon her brow ; her plumage is also greyer, and has fewer bright metallic spots than that ofher mate. GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. i6s The Bronze-winged Pigeon is very generally distributed in all parts of Australia; in some itwould seem to be stationary, while in others it is said to be migratory. It is, says Mr. Gould, a plump, heavy bird, weighing when in good condition fully a pound,and is constantly eaten by every class of persons resident in Australia. Its amazing powers of flightenable it to pass in an incredibly short space of time over a great expanse of coun
. Cassell's book of birds . streak upon her brow ; her plumage is also greyer, and has fewer bright metallic spots than that ofher mate. GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. i6s The Bronze-winged Pigeon is very generally distributed in all parts of Australia; in some itwould seem to be stationary, while in others it is said to be migratory. It is, says Mr. Gould, a plump, heavy bird, weighing when in good condition fully a pound,and is constantly eaten by every class of persons resident in Australia. Its amazing powers of flightenable it to pass in an incredibly short space of time over a great expanse of country, and just beforesunset it may be observed swiftly \vinging its way over the plains or do\vn the gullies to its drinking-place. During the long drought of 1839-40, when I was encamped at the northern extremity of theBrezi range, I had daily opportunities of observing the arrival of this bird to drink, the only water formiles, as I was assured by the natives, being in the immediate vicinity of my tent, and that merely the. THE liRONZE-WINGED PIGEON (P/wps chalcoptera). scanty supply left in a few small natural basins in the rocks, which had been filled by the rains ofmany months before. This peculiar situation afforded me an excellent opportunity of observing notonly the Bronze-wing, but many other birds inhabiting the neighbourhood. Few if any of the trueinsectivorous or fissirostral birds came to the water-holes, but on the other hand those species that liveupon grain and seeds, particularly the Parrakeets and Honey-eaters (TricJioglossi and Meliphagi), werecontinually rushing down to the edges of the pools, utterly regardless of my presence, their thirstentirely overcoming their sense of danger. Seldom if ever, however, did the Bronze-wing make itsappearance during the heat of the day, but at sundown it arrived with aiTow-like swiftness, eithersingly or in pairs. It did not descend at once to the edge of the pool, but dashed down to theground at about ten yards distance, r
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbreh, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds
