?*v
G E O P 11A P 8f PLUM IF ERA, Gould.
Plumed Partridge Bronze-wing1. -
Geophaps plumi/era, Gould: in Proc. ojl Zoohlpgll February 8, 1842.
T his rare and highly interesting species of Pigeon was B. Bynoe, Esq., who procured
it on the north-west coast of Australia^ 5 The r^ptesa&companying the bird informed me that “ it inhabits
the country between Cape Hoth^mi^pIthe island of Depuch; the specimen sent is from the isolated water
reaches about 150 Victoria River. It congregates* on the ground and rises like a Quad,
plunging- immediately afterwards in the thick Jpng grass.” -
In its structure and markings it closely assimilates to th eo th er members of the genus Geophaps; but
widely differs from them in its diminutive size, and in thepossessionof a long and graceful crest springing
l l l s l p l j y occiput, a character which exists in several of the Gallinacea, and is familiar to every one in the
plenty Pewit or Lapwing ( Vanellus cristatus) ofrthetjfritish Islands.
Lores and orbits naked, and of a yellowish r e d ; head furnished with a lengthened occipital crest, which
with theicrown, sides of the neck and chest, and under part of the wing, ar^ightl^rruginous; chin black;
throat banded alternately with white and blacj^vtue latter cQllMig Extending to the ear-coverts; on the chest
two serhilunar marks of white, which meeting form>a^p^htUMme."centre; middle of the abdomendight huff}
under tail-coyerts brown, with lighter edges hack of the neck, back, rump and upper tail-coverts rufous
brown; wings - light ferruginous, with the basal half of the feathers silvery grey, the two colours separated
by a transverse band of black; primaries rufous brown; secondaries brown, with a large patch of bronze-
purple towards their tips ; tail black; bill black; feet reddish brown.
"■iThe^figM^j are of the natural size. '