The sexes are alike in plumage.
Head, face, throat, breast and abdomen grey; lengthened occipital plumes black; back of the neck, back, rump, flanks, upper and under tail-coverts light olive-brown; the upper tail-coverts tipped with white; sides of the neck washed with pinky salmon-colour; feathers covering the insertion of the wing deep buff, each crossed near the tip with a line of deep black, giving this part of the plumage a barred appearance; greater wing-coverts shining bronzy green, margined with white; primaries brown, becoming of a deeper tint as they approach the body; the third, fourth and fifth finely margined on the apical half of their external web with brownish white, the remainder with a narrow line of white bounding the extremities of both webs; secondaries brown on their inner webs, bronzy purple on their outer webs at the base, and brown at the extremity, broadly margined with white; two centre tail-feathers brown, the remainder blackish brown, glossed with green on their outer webs, and tipped with white; irides buffy orange; orbits naked, wrinkled, and of a pink-red; nostrils and base of the bill olive-black; tip black; legs and feet pink-red.
The figures are of the natural size.
PETROPHASSA ALBIPENNIS: Gould.
J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. C. Hullmandel Imp.
PETROPHASSA ALBIPENNIS, Gould.
White-quilled Rock Dove.
Petrophassa albipennis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 173.
This highly singular species of Pigeon is an inhabitant of the most rugged, rocky and sterile districts of the north-west coast of Australia. The specimens in my possession were sent me by the Officers of the Beagle, but, I regret to say, were unaccompanied by any particulars respecting their history. The form of the wing would lead us to imagine that in many parts of its economy this species much resembles those of the members of the genus Geophaps; but on these points nothing can be ascertained with certainty, until the productions of those remote parts of Australia have been carefully investigated, a period which, from the inhospitable character of the country, I fear is far distant.
Crown of the head and neck greyish brown, margined with sandy brown; all the upper surface, chest and tail rufous brown, the centre of each feather inclining to grey; lores black; abdomen and under tail-coverts chocolate brown; throat clothed with small feathers white at the tip, black at the base; primaries dark brown at their tips, the basal half pure white; bill and irides blackish brown; feet reddish brown.
The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.