It is supposed that a partial exodus of these birds takes place from time to time, which Gould thinks very probable. After the termination of the breeding season, both young and old resort to the stubble-fields, and from twenty to thirty brace may be daily killed. This species feeds entirely on the ground, upon a variety of leguminous seeds. It breeds in August and the four succeeding months, and often rears two or more broods. The nest is usually placed on the horizontal branch of an apple or gum tree near the ground, especially on those growing in flat meadow-land in the neighbourhood of water. The nest, which is very frail, is made of small twigs, and of rather hollow form. The two eggs are white, an inch and three-eighths in length, and an inch in breadth. * * * * * The QUAIL PIGEONS (_Geophaps_) differ from the above birds principally in the comparative shortness of their powerful beak, their small, rounded wing, high tarsus, and the bare circle that surrounds the eye. The members of this group inhabit Australia, and breed upon the ground. THE PARTRIDGE BRONZE-WING. The PARTRIDGE BRONZE-WING (_Geophaps scripta_) is light brown on the mantle and breast; the rest of the under side is grey, shading into white, except on the yellowish brown belly. The quills and feathers of the wing-covers have light edges, the outer web of many of the larger feathers gleaming with greenish purple; the throat, upper breast, a broad line from the lower mandible to the eyes, and a spot on the sides of the throat are snow-white, adorned with very peculiar black markings resembling printed letters. The eye is dark brown, the eye-ring blueish grey, the beak black, and the foot deep, rich red. The length is twelve inches; that of the tail five and a half inches. "This Pigeon," says Gould, "has more than ordinary claims to the attention both of the ornithologist and the epicure, since to the first it is of interest as being a typical example of a minor group of the _Columbæ_, whose habits and economy are very peculiar, and to the second as a most delicate viand for the table. "It is to be regretted that a bird possessing such high qualifications as an article of food should be so exclusively a denizen of the plains of the interior of Australia that it is available to few except inland travellers, for it would be of especial interest to the sportsman from its offering a closer resemblance to the _Gallinaceæ_ than any other Pigeon. I sometimes observed it in pairs, but more frequently in small flocks of from four to six in number, which, when approached, instead of seeking safety by flight, ran off with exceeding rapidity in an opposite direction and crouched down either on the bare plain or among any scanty herbage that appeared to offer the best shelter, where they often lay until all but trodden on."