ASHY-HEADED GREEN PIGEON 33 



oneseK at some point of their flighting where the natural advantages 

 are all in favoiu: of the birds. One such place was the crest of a smaU 

 hill between the Rangagora and Digaltarang Tea-gardens in the Dibrugarh 

 district, where the birds on good days passed in a constant stream 

 every morning and evening for some two hours. Here, if one stood 

 in the open on the top of the rise, the birds came so high and wide 

 that but few shots were obtained ; on the other hand, if one stood 

 out of sight of the approaching Pigeon, on the far side of the hiU just 

 below the crest, the birds came sweeping up the hill so close to the 

 ground that they were not -dsible until they cleared the top, not thirty 

 yards in front, and were also protected to a great extent by the scrub- 

 jungle which was scattered about. Behind us, and within a few yards, 

 was heavy tree-forest, and directly the Pigeon came into sight, and 

 also caught sight of us, they scmried through the bushes into this 

 forest like Lightening, dodging from one side to another Uke Jack Snipe, 

 though at four times the pace. I had the pleasiu-e of shooting here 

 once with two other grms when there was a high ^vind behind the 

 birds, and harder shooting I have never had. We did pick up some 

 sixty birds in the two hours during which we shot, but I am quite sure 

 four cartridges out of every five fired were ineffective. 



I think the Ashy-headed Green Pigeon is as fast as any of its 

 tribe, certainly a good deal faster than its bigger cousin, the Bengal 

 Pigeon, and quite as fast as the little Treron, whilst the Pin-tailed 

 and Wedge-tailed Green Pigeon are a trifle slower. These latter birds 

 are, moreover, far more direct in their flight, and do not resort to 

 the constant twistings and dodgings which seem habitual to the species 

 we are now dealing with. 



Like most other Green Pigeon, they are really rather shy birds, 

 but when feeding Ln thickly foliaged trees often trust to the effective 

 blending of their colours with the leaves to escape detection. I have 

 known cases in which a bird has been shot out of a tree without the 

 rest of the flock taking to flight, and which, in fact, were not discovered 

 imtil a second or third shot at other birds approaching the tree 

 frightened them out of it. As a rule, however, the first shot at any 

 one of their number sends them in a hiury from their tree, but always 

 by the side away from the shooter, so that it is but seldom that he 

 can get in another shot as they quit. 



They are wonderful climbers, and have great strength of grasp 



o 



