52 Mr. E. BlytVs Drafts for a Fauna Indica. 



The Col. badia, Raffles (v. capistratay Temm.), of the Malay 

 countries, would appear to be very closely allied in its colouring, 

 but considerably inferior in size ; the two are regarded as distinct 

 by Mr. G. R. Gray. 



C. SYLVATiCA : Col. sylvatica, Tickell, Journ. As. Soc. ii. 581 : 

 C. anea of India, Auctorwn; but not of Raffles, Linn. Trans. 

 xiii. 316. (Dunkul, H.; Pyoon-ma-dee, Arracan.) Head, neck 

 and under-parts pearl-gray, purer on the crown and breast, and 

 tinged elsewhere (and occasionally on the crown) with ruddy- 

 vinaceous; back, wings, rump and tail shining coppery-green, 

 with a dash of gray on the large alars, and greenest upon the 

 tail ; under tail-covei'ts dark maroon ; chin and immediately 

 around the base of the bill white. '* Irides and orbits lake- red; 

 bill slaty, at base above red, at tip bluish-white ; legs lake-red,^' 

 (Jerdon). Another observer describes the irides to be "deep 

 pinkj^^ but Captain Tickell writes: "Eyes orange; feet rose- 

 coloured ; bill horny, bluish over the nostrils." Length 18 or 

 19 inches ; expanse 2^ feet ; closed wing 9 inches to 9~, and 

 tail 6 inches to 6^ ; sexes alike. 



" This fine species," remarks Mr. Jerdon, " is found in all the 

 lofty forests of the west coast, single, or in small parties of three 

 or four. It has a single, low, plaintive note." Captain Tickell, 

 in his ' List of Birds collected in the Jungles of Borabhiim and 

 Dholbhum,' states that it is " common in some parts, preferring 

 the open and large-timbered tracts. They are wild and difficult 

 of approach, and go generally in small parties of four or five. 

 The voice is deep, and resembles groaning." I have never seen 

 it from the Himalaya, but it is very abundant in the hill regions 

 of Assam, Sylhet, Tipperah, and Arracan ; also in the Tenasse- 

 rim provinces; and the Asiatic Society has received it from Java. 

 A writer in the ^Bengal Sporting Review' (no. 2. p. 89) ob- 

 serves, " The habits of this handsome bird are strictly arboreal ; 

 it is seldom seen but in the depths of the jungle ; is gregarious, 

 like the Hurrials, but is only a cold-weather resident in the east- 

 ern districts of Bengal, and breeds elsewhere *. It makes its 

 appearance in November, and leaves towards the end of March. 

 Its favourite food consists of the bijer plum {Zizyphus Jujuba), 

 and a jungle berry, called by the natives Anygootah. When 

 wounded it evinces more spirit than the ColumbidcB appear gene- 

 rally to possess ; erecting the feathers of its head and neck, and 



female was filled. Voice a deep short groan, repeated — * woo-woo-woo.' 

 liength of this female 17 inches hy 27 inches in spread of wing; wing 9 

 inches. Irides pearl-gray ; bill dull lake, witli blackish tip ; legs dull lake. 

 Back, scapularies and wing-coverts full deep vinous ash-gray washed with 

 cupreous, the latter pervading the tips and edges of the feathers. — T. 

 * Mr. Frith found a nest of this bird in the Gnrrow hills. 



