Mr. E. Blyth's Drafts for a Fauna Indica. 101 



head of both sexes*. The rapidity of flight so remarkable in the 

 Indian species, as compared with our other ColumbicUe, is equally 

 observable in other subgenera of Phaps, which might include 

 even Peristera of Swainsonf. 



Subfam. Columbine. 



This consists of the ordinaiy pigeons and doves, the characters 

 and habits of which are familiar to all. They are mostly arboreal, 

 though many of them feed much on the ground, chiefly on grain 

 and oleaginous seeds ; some of the species also nipping the young 

 sprouts of vegetables. They fall into two principal and nearly 

 allied series, those of the pigeons and the doves ; the latter sub- 

 dividing into several well-marked groups. 



Genus Columba, Linn, (as restricted). Pigeons. (Kubbooter, 

 H.; Paira^B.) 



These are of comparatively large size, and generally more ro- 

 bust in make, with square or subquadrate tail. The Indian spe- 

 cies fall into two subgenera, viz. rock pigeons and wood pigeons ; 

 the former exemplified by the common house pigeon, the latter 

 by the common Cushat of Europe. 



Rock Pigeons. In these the tarse is rather longer, and the 

 toes are better adapted for walking on the ground. They rarely, 

 if ever, perch on trees, except under peculiar circumstances, as 

 when a dove-cot of domestic pigeons is placed near a tree, with 

 large and conveniently ^shaped boughs, in which case the pigeons 

 will commonly resort to the latter to sit and roost, but never to 

 form their nests. In the wild state it is probable that they 

 never perch at all, retiring to roost and nestle in caverns and 

 small hollows of rocks or sea-cliffs, in the absence of which they 

 select buildings that offer suitable recesses, breeding in the capi- 



* It is I think very doubtful whether C. chrysochlora be really distinct 

 from indica. The absence of white on the forehead is probably due to the 

 specimens being immature. — H. E. S. 



t A curious pigeon, in the guise ofaPteroclcs, is figured among the draw- 

 ings prei)ared under the superintendence of the late Sir Alexander Burnes 

 and Dr. Lord, marked Fahktuk (i. e. Facktah or dove, Hind.) from Cabul, 

 which should be sought for in the Scindian deserts. Total length about a 

 foot, the wing 6| inches, and tail pointed and Pterocles-XW^e, extending 

 nearly 2 inches beyond the tips of the wings ; tarsi and toes, which, though 

 nidely drawn, would appear to be those of an ordinary pigeon, naked and 

 of a pink colour. Bill dusky, being also apparently that of an ordinary 

 pigeon, and rather slender. General colour light isabelline, with darker 

 margins to the feathers of the mantle and wings ; neck, breast and undei*- 

 parts plain, the breast rufescent, and the belly and lower tail-coverts whitish ; 

 the outer tail-feathers would appear to have black tips; irides crimson. 

 Should this hereafter be verified and constitute (as seems probable) a new 

 genus of sand-doves, having the habits of the Gangas or Sand-grouse, it 

 might bear the name Psammoenas Burnesii, 



