The nest of this species is built on low trees or bushes, and is very slightly formed of a few twigs. The eggs are white and two in number. According to Captain Sturt, this bird has a particular partiality for the _Polygonum geranium_, never ascends to higher land if near extensive marshes covered with this plant, and is always found in river-valleys where it grows. [Illustration: THE CRESTED BRONZE-WING (_Ocyphaps lophotes_).] * * * * * The TRUE BRONZE-WINGS (_Phaps_) are stoutly-framed birds, with long wings and short tails; their beak almost equals the head in length; the powerful tarsus is shorter than the middle toe, and the second and third quills in the pinions are longer than the rest. THE COMMON BRONZE-WING. The COMMON BRONZE-WING (_Phaps chalcoptera_) is brown on the mantle, deep brown at the back of the head, and a rich deep red on the under side, shading into grey on the belly; the brow and a line under the eyes and on the throat are yellowish white; the sides of the throat are grey; the feathers on the wing-covers adorned with oval copper-bronze patches, and two or three of the secondary quills with glossy green spots; the centre tail-feathers are brown, the rest deep grey. The eye is dark reddish brown, the beak blackish grey, and the foot carmine-red. The female is without the light streak upon her brow; her plumage is also greyer, and has fewer bright metallic spots than that of her mate. The Bronze-winged Pigeon is very generally distributed in all parts of Australia; in some it would seem to be stationary, while in others it is said to be migratory. [Illustration: THE BRONZE-WINGED PIGEON (_Phaps chalcoptera_).]