474 BIRDS OP INDIA. 



Bill black, tinged with lake near the base ; orbits red ; orbitar 

 skin pale livid; irides brown, with an outer narrow circle pink; legs 

 dull-lake red. Length 16^ inches ; extent 22 ; wing 8 ; tail 8^. 



The female differs in having the forehead and cheeks pale vinous 

 yellow, the nape less brightly glossed, the barring more developed 

 than in the male, and especially on the tail ; in the chin being pale 

 buffy, and in the breast and lower parts being finely rayed across 

 with dusky on a fulvous ground ; the crown is likewise barred. 

 The young have the crown distinotly barred, and the whole plumage 

 more or less so, but with fewer bars than in the adult female. 



This bird appears to be very closely allied to C. leptogrammica 

 of Java, with which Gray and Blyth formerly united it, but it is 

 placed as distinct by Bonaparte, who states that in the Java bird, 

 the throat is crnnamomeous, the lateral tail-feathers blackish, with 

 a grey tip, and the lower parts whitish"; with some other points of 

 difference. 



This fine Tree-dove is found in the S. E. Himalayas, from Nepal 

 to Bootan, e:^ending to the Khasia Hills. In Sikim it frequents 

 the zone, from 3,000 to nearly 7,000 feet ; is found singly, occa- 

 sionally in small parties ; feeds on various fruits, which it chiefly 

 takes from the trees, now and then descending to the ground. 

 Its voice is a deep, repeated, coo. I found its nest on the Khasia 

 Hills at about 4,500 feet, on trees, at a moderate elevation. 



Other species of this genus are M. ru/ipenms, Blyth, from the 

 •Nicobars ; J£ ruficeps, Teram., from Java, which also occurs in 

 Tenasserim ; several others from the more distant islands ; and M, 

 phasianella, Temm., from AustraHa and New Guinea. Bonaparte 

 has also M. macrura, Graelin, from Ceylon, which does not 

 appear to have been noticed by late observers in that island. 

 Blyth gives an interesting account of the habits of M. phasianella 

 in confinement, which would fight with Uurrials for the plantains 

 given as food, which it appeared very fond of ; but it would eat 

 maize and grain. It was chiefly active, morning and evening, and 

 scarcely moved from its perch during the day, in this approxima- 

 ting the Green-pigeons. 



Some species from the Oceanic region are placed in Ttiraccena^ 

 and Eeimvardtce7ia, Bonaparte ; and the celebrated Passenger- 



