(22) CALAENAS NICOBARICA (Linn.). 



THE NICOBAR PIGEON. 

 (Plate 10.) 



Columba nicombariensis Briss., Om., I p. 154 (1760). 



Columba nicobarica Linn., Syst. Nat., I p. 283, no. 27 (1766) ; Lath., Lid. 

 Om., II p. 605. 



Columba gouldiae Gray and Hardw., 111. I. Zool., 11 pi. 57. 



Geofhilus nicobaricus Blyth, Gal. J.N.H., I p. 605. 



Caloenas nicobarica Gray, List Gen. B., p. 59 (1840) ; Ball, J.A.S.B., XXXIX 

 pt. 2 p. 32 ; id., Str. Feath., I p. 81 ; Hume, ib., H pp. 133, 271, 481 ; 

 Hume and Dav., ib., VI p. 425 ; Hume, Cat. no. 798, bis ; Gates, 

 B. Burma, 11 p. 299 ; id., in Hume's Nests and Eggs, 2nd ed., 11 p. 365 ; 

 Salvadori, Cat. B.M., XXI p. 615; Blanf., Avi. Brit. I., IV p. 24 ; 

 Sharpe, Hand-List, I p. 91 ; Gates, Cat. Eggs B.M., I p. 106 ; Butler, 

 J.B.N.H.S., Xn p. 690 ; Osmaston, ib., XVII p. 489 ; id. ib., XVHI 

 pp. 201, 202, 359. 



Calaenas nicobarica Blyth, J.A.S.B., XV p. 371 ; id., Cat. B.M.A.S.B., p. 238. 



Calaenas nicobaricus Jerdon, B.I., IH p. 480 ; Hume, Str. Feath., 11 p. 70. 



Vernacular Name. Lo-ung, Nicobarese. 



Description. — Adidt male. Head, neck, and upper-breast deep slaty- 

 black, in perfect specimens having a beautiful purple-blue sheen ; shorter 

 neck-hackles the same, but glossed with metallic green near the tips ; longer 

 hackles metallic blue or copper-bronze, but nearly all with narrow margins 

 of deep blue-black and dark green shaft-stripes. Upper -plumage from shoulders 

 to upper tail-coverts, lesser and median wing-coverts, and innermost secondaries 

 brilliant metallic-green, but varying greatly in individuals. In some the 

 greater portion is a copper-bronze, in a few specimens becoming almost a 

 flaming copper-colour, whilst in a few others the copper tint is almost absent ; 

 shoulder of wing, greater coverts, and outer secondaries deep prussian-blue 

 with more or less of a metallic sheen and a varying amount of green gloes ; 

 primaries blue-black on the visible portions and bro\Tn-black on the inner 

 webs and concealed portions of outer webs ; tail \rith a few of the longest 

 upi)er coverts and all the lower coverts white. Lower-plumage from breast 

 to vent, flanks, and under aspect of wings metallic green, more or less marked 

 with prussian-blue. 



Colours of soft parts. " Legs and feet dull purplish lilac, bill greyish 

 black ; irides hazel nut brown " (Davison). 

 " Irides white " (Sir J. Ingram). 

 •' Irides buff " (Layard). 



