Mr. E. Blytli's Drafts for a Fauna Indica. 41 



VI. — Drafts for a Fauna Indica, 



[Comprising the Animals of the Himalaya Mountains, those of the 

 Valley of the Indus, of the Provinces of Assam, Sylhet, Tip- 

 perah and Arracan, and of Ceylon, with occasional Notices of 

 Species from the neighbouring Countries^.) By Ed. Blyth, 

 Curator of the Asiatic Society's Museum, &c. &c.t 



No. 1. The Columbida, or Pigeons and Doves. 

 Order IV. Gyratores, Pr. Bonap. Gemitores, McGillivray. 

 This consists but of a single family, that of the Pigeons, 



Fam. CoLUMBiD^, 



which subdivides into three marked subfamilies, viz. Treronime, 

 or arboreal fruit pigeons ; Gourince, or ground pigeons ; and 

 ColumbiruB, or ordinary pigeons and doves. 



Subfam. Treronin^. 



The members of this group are eminently frugivorous and ar- 

 boreal, scarcely ever descending to the ground, and some perhaps 

 never, unless to di'ink J ; and in general they are of a green 

 colour, which renders them difficult to discern amid the foliage 

 of trees. They are distinguished from other pigeons (with the 

 sole known exception of Ectopistes carolinensis) by having con- 

 stantly fourteen tail-feathers instead of twelve §. In form of 



* The object of publishing the present series of Monographs of various 

 groups of animals, is to elicit, as much as to impart, information that might 

 be incorporated in a general work now in preparation ; and it is therefore 

 earnestly requested that observers, interested in the subject, will favour the 

 author with any additional facts or corrections that may occur to them, and 

 that they will also endeavour to settle any questions that are still at issue, 

 and, in short, to render the future conspectus of Indian animals as complete 

 as circumstances will permit of. In the class of Birds, it may be here re- 

 marked, that any information on the nidification and colour of the eggs of 

 species generally, and of the song- notes of the smaller Insessores, will be 

 particularly acceptable. [The notes marked T. have been supplied by Capt. 

 Tickell, and those marked H.E.S. by Mr. H. E. Strickland.] 



"f- From the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, no. 169. 



X An individual of Treron hicincta has been seen feeding on the ground, 

 but such instances are extremely rare. Vide also description of Tr. nipa- 

 lensis. 



§ Perhaps, however, certain of the ground pigeons may also have more 

 than twelve tail-feathers, which remains to be ascertained. In the domestic 

 breed oi fan-tails, the number is abnormally multiplied to as many as thirty 

 or more. It is very remarkable, that of the two species of Ectopistes, which 

 are nearly allied to each other, one should have fourteen tail-feathers, while 

 the other, the celebrated passenger-pigeon of North America, should possess 

 but the usual number — twelve. This fact was observed and recorded by 

 tlie Prince of Canino. 



