17/47 This reach of the Victoria enabled Mr.Bynoe to add two new birds to his collection; one, a species of pigeon, but resembling a small quail in its habits and size; the cerae of the nose, the beak and the feet, were a pigeon's, but the flight and the manner of running along the ground, where it kept, were those of a quail. It was found in small families of eight or a dozen, very wild and scarce, and was only seen in this part of the river. The only one we were able to get, had a very long pointed crest. The colour was a light red, with a white chin and a black band across the throat; the tips of the wings were slightly bronzed. It is figured in Mr.Gould's work, from this specimen, as Geophaps plumifera. |