THICK-BILLED GREEN PIGEON 69 



AU round the north-east frontier of India from the extreme west 

 of Nepal through Bhutan, the Miri, Dafla, Abor Hills, Assam and 

 north-west Burma, the Thick-billed Green Pigeon is very common, 

 and always forms a prominent feature in any large miscellaneous bag 

 of Pigeons. 



As a rule it does not collect in very large flocks, anything from 

 ten or twelve to a score of birds being most often met with, but some- 

 times it is found in much bigger numbers, and I have seen several 

 flocks of over fifty and more than once one of over a hundred. 



Of course, upon the larger fruit-trees very great numbers of these 

 and other Pigeons gather together for the feeding ; but though these 

 may become very intermixed as they scramble about from one branch 

 to another in their search for berries and fruit, when frightened away 

 they at once separate up into their smaller companies. 



Quarrelsome as are all Pigeons and Doves, this small member of 

 the family is even more so than most ; at the same time it is given, 

 like the rest of its relations, more to the uttering of bad language than 

 to the giving of actual blows. These, however, are quite often enough 

 indulged in, and result in feathers flying freely accompanied with loud 

 clappings and beatings of the wings and guttural notes of anger. The 

 row usually commences when two males, perhaps of different flocks, 

 approach the same tempting cluster of figs or other dainty. The two 

 birds will clamber slowly along the branch towards one another until 

 they are a foot or two apart, when both will stop abruptly and bob 

 energetically up and do^vn uttering a few cuss "words" at the same time. 

 If neither of the warriors are rendered nervous by the appearance of 

 the other, they again approach one another with mouth wide open, 

 and uttering a constant half hiss and half guttural note the bowings 

 and bobbings increase in violence, and the birds dance about with 

 wings semi-lifted. Then, suddenly, there is a clap of wings, and the 

 two birds launch themselves at each other, attempting to strike with 

 their wings, or to seize the feathers of their opponent's head with 

 their bills. If either can accomplish this he then proceeds to drag 

 his victim along the branch until the feathers come out, when the 

 fight is again renewed after an interval of more posturing, or the 

 wounded bird finds he has had enough of it, and retires to another 

 part of the tree. 



The guttural note of the Thick-biUed Pigeon has been alluded 



