_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
CHALCOPHAPS CHRYSOCHLORA.
Little Green Pigeon.
_Tourterelle de Java_, Buff. Pl Enl. 177?
_Columba Javanica_, Auctorum?
_Colombe Turvert_, Temm. Pig., fol. 2nd fam. pl. 26. p. 62.—Ib. Pig.
et Gall., tom. ii. pp. 252 and 468.
_Columba chrysochlora_, Wagl. Syst. Av. Columba, sp. 79.
There are, in my opinion, several closely allied species of this form,
distributed over Australia and the islands of Java, Sumatra, &c., whose
specific characters have never been accurately defined; I am inclined to
consider the Javanese bird as distinct from that here figured, and the
bird inhabiting the northern coast of Australia, of which I have only
seen one or two examples, as distinct from both. The principal
difference that I have yet observed in the two species inhabiting
Australia, is that the one from the north coast has the bill of much
greater length than that from New South Wales; a more minute comparison,
however, is necessary to ascertain if they be identical or not.
The Little Green Pigeon is sparingly dispersed in all the brushes of New
South Wales, both those clothing the mountain ranges as well as those
near the coast; how far it may proceed northwards has not yet been
ascertained. The brushy districts are the localities peculiarly adapted
to it, and these I believe it never leaves for the more open parts of
the country; hence it is but little known to, and seldom seen by, the
colonists, a circumstance the more to be regretted, as the beauty and
brilliancy of its plumage and the neatness of its form render it one of
the most pleasing objects to behold that occur in the Australian
forests. When flushed, it flies very quickly through the scrub, but to
no great distance, and readily eludes pursuit by pitching suddenly to
the ground, and remaining so quiet that it can rarely be discovered.
I never met with its nest, nor could I obtain, either from the natives
or settlers, any particulars respecting its nidification.
Its chief food during one season of the year is the seeds of the stiff
wiry grass figured in the Plate, which was gathered at Illawarra.
The sexes differ considerably in colour, and the female is somewhat
smaller than her mate.
The male has the crown of the head, face and all the under surface deep
vinaceous; nape and back of the neck dark grey; edge of the shoulder
snow-white; centre of the back, wing-coverts and outer webs of the
tertiaries shining greenish copper-colour; rump and upper tail-coverts
slaty-black, crossed by three indistinct bands of grey; primaries and
secondaries brown, largely margined with ferruginous on the base of
their inner webs; tail black, except the two outer feathers on each
side, which are light grey, crossed by a broad band of black near the
tip; under tail-coverts black; apical half of the bill blood-red, basal
half plum-colour; feet dull reddish plum-colour; orbits dark grey;
eyelash lilac-red; irides lilaceous lead-colour.
The female has the head and neck dark cinnamon-brown, approaching to
chocolate; the wing-coverts much more green than in the male; face and
all the under surface cinnamon-brown, with merely a wash on the breast
of the vinaceous tint; upper tail-coverts brown; four centre
tail-feathers brown; the two next on each side chestnut-brown, and the
outer one on each side grey; all but the four middle ones crossed near
the tip with a broad band of black; and the soft parts similar, but less
brilliant than in the male.
The figures in the accompanying Plate were taken from specimens killed
in New South Wales, and are of the natural size.
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