116 INDIAN PIGEONS AND DOVES 



Pigeon breeding on the same island. Each of the two nests contained a single 

 egg, quite fresh and only differing from those of the bird just mentioned in 

 being a trifle larger, 1.92 by 1.32 in. 



Osmaston states that " the fresh egg of Calaenas may, moreover, be 

 recognised from that of Myristicivora by the colour of the membrane under- 

 lying the shell, which imparts a delicate purple tinge to the egg of the former, 

 that of the latter being pure wliite or faintly yellow." 



Later on Osmaston got a fine series of these eggs from Battye Malve 

 in the end of March, 1907, and was good enough to send me a considerable 

 number. These eggs are rather long, regular ovals like those of the Pied 

 Imperial Pigeon, and like those of that bird, are often curiously pointed 

 at one end. In texture they cannot be distinguished from the eggs of 

 Myristicivora, but it is very curious that even m eggs some five years old 

 the difference in the colour of the membrane is still quite distinct, for, whereas, 

 that of the egg of the Pied Pigeon is a pale lemon-yellow, that of the egg of 

 the Nicobar bird is almost an orange-yellow. 



My eggs vary from 1.82 to 2.15 in. ( = 46.2 to 55.1 mm.) in length, and 

 from 1.30 to 1.36 in. ( = 33 to 34.5 mm.) in breadth, the average being 1.95 by 

 1.34 in. ( = 49.6 by 33.9 mm.). 



It breeds freely in captivity, and both this bird and the last have frequently 

 reared their single young ones in the Calcutta Zoo. They feed the young, 

 of course, in the same manner as do all other Pigeons and Doves, that is to say, 

 on regurgitated and partially digested food. The late Mr. Sanyal, Keeper 

 of the Calcutta Zoological Gardens, told me that they were excellent parents, 

 both male and female sharing in the incubation of the egg and the care of 

 the young bird. 



Davison's full and interesting notes on this Pigeon contain so much 

 information, that I quote them here in full. He wTites as foUows in the 

 second volume of Stray Feathers : " On KatchaU Island I first observed 

 these birds ' at home ' if I may use the expression ; I met with them 

 in the vicinity of some caves situated in the forest about a mile from the 

 shore, sometimes singly, at other times a pair together, and occasionally 

 in small parties about half a dozen to a dozen. I went several times to 

 Katchall to study the habits of these birds. 



" I always found them on the ground ; when disturbed they fly 

 some distance, almost always beyond range of shot, and then perch, 

 usually high up, but sometimes low down, invariably on the thicker lower 

 branches, along which I have often seen them walk. On Battye Malve 

 I had the best opportunities of observing them. I had wandered some 

 distance from the rest of our party and got into a part of the jungle where 

 the birds had not been disturbed. Feeling very tired when forcing my 

 way through the tangled underwood, I seated myself at the foot of a large 

 tree ; after remaining here for some little time, several of these birds flew 

 down from the adjacent trees and settled on the ground within ten yards 



