98 INDIAN PIGEONS AND DOVES 



simply a i>latform of dry twigs very loosely put together, and was built on a 

 dried up fruit branch, which is itself merely a mass of dry twigs. It con- 

 tained one large white egg." 



The birds must sometimes commence breeding as early as December, 

 as Mr. de Roepstoeff shot a young bird on the 20th February full fledged, 

 and nearly full sized. 



The egg taken by Davison in Trinkut Island is now in the British Museum : 

 it is elliptical in shape, smooth and fine in texture with a faint gloss, and it 

 measures 1.9 in. by 1.37 ( = 48.2 by 34.8 mm.). 



The habits do not appear to differ in any way from those of aenea 

 aenea, though the bird, probably from being less harassed, is said to be 

 very tame. Kloss records that they are " Common on all these Islands 

 [Nicobars]. On Tilanchong and Trinkut they were remarkably tame ; 

 we easily shot them with the 32 cal. auxihary barrels. They, with the 

 Megapodes, formed our staple diet in the Nicobars untU we loathed the 

 sight of them." 



Davison, in the notes above referred to, records that : " The Nicobar 

 Imperial Pigeon is very numerous all over the Nicobars, much more so 

 than its congener is at the Andamans. In habits it is much the same, 

 being found singly, in pairs, or in smaU parties ; its deep low coo may be 

 heard resounding through the forest all day." 



