Mr. Gilbert observed this species in vast flocks on the plains in latitude 19° S.
Genus Geophaps, Gould.
Generic characters.
Bill very short and robust; eyes surrounded with a bare skin; wings very short and rounded; tertiaries long, and broad at their ends; tarsi moderately long; toes shorter than the tarsus, the inner toe rather the longest.
The members of this genus are peculiar to Australia; are more terrestrial in their habits than any other form of pigeons inhabiting that country; incubate on the ground; squat like the partridges when their haunts are intruded upon; inhabit the plains and open downs; have white pectoral muscles; are excellent food for man; run with great rapidity; fly swiftly for short distances; and when disturbed either perch on the larger branches, on which they squat lengthwise, or descend to the ground and run off after the manner of the true Gallinaceæ.
| 429. Geophaps scripta | [Vol. V. ] Pl. 67. |
| 430. Geophaps Smithii | [Vol. V. ] Pl. 68. |
| 431. Geophaps plumifera, Gould | [Vol. V. ] Pl. 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 Ocyphaps, Gould.
Generic characters.