244 NICOBAR AND NUTMEG PIGEONS. 



thickets^ and 'calling' to each other like pheasants in 

 a preserve at home. Among* the other g-ame birds^ 

 first in size and splendoiu' comes the Nicobar pig-eon 

 ( Caloenas Nicohariea). As its appearance exhibits 

 a near approach to the gallinaceous bu^ds^ so do its 

 habits. It lives chiefly on the ground^ runs with 

 great swiftness^ and flies up into a tree when dis- 

 turbed. A nest found here was of the rude platform 

 construction usually found among the pigeon family ; 

 it was built in a tree about ten feet from the ground^ 

 and contained a single white egg\ The most com- 

 mon of the family, hoAvever^ is one of the nutmeg' 

 pigeons, Carpophaga Oceamca. Many of both sexes 

 were furnished with a large, round, fleshy caruncle 

 on the bill at the base of the forehead,— this is said 

 to be present during the breeding season onl}^ Its 

 favourite place of resort dm'ing the heat of the day 

 is among the nutmegs and other spreading shady 

 trees where we found it difficult of detection, even 

 when led up to the spot by its cooing. This last 

 may be represented by the letters poor-oo-oo-oo 

 Iwor-r-r-r, the first syllable loud and startling, the 

 remainder faint and long drawn out ; on the other 

 hand the cry of the Nicobar pigeon is merely hoo- 

 Jioo, In flavour the Oceanic pigeon far sm-passes 

 the white or Torres Strait species, the merits of 

 which, as an article of food, ^ye had so often fully 

 appreciated during our last cruize. Most of them 

 were very fat, and some even burst.; open' in 

 falling to the ground after having been shot. A 



