BRONZE-WINGED OR EMERALD DOVE 123 



doMTi the west coast of India from the south of Bombay, through Malabar, 

 Travancore, and thence into Ceylon. On the east coast it is found south 

 nearly to the latitude of the mouths of the Kistna or Krishna River, as I have 

 seen the skin of a bird shot inland from Masulipatam, but it is undoubtedly 

 rare south of latitude 18. It is found in Orissa and throughout the whole of 

 Bengal in the forested parts, Kashmir, Nepal, Bhutan, Assam, and the hill- 

 ranges north and south of the Brahmapootra River up to at least 6,000 ft. 

 It is very common in Manipur, Looshai Hills and throughout Burma, the 

 Malay Peninsula and Archipelago into New Guinea, and again through southern 

 China into the Phillipines. In Burma it appears to be absent from the dry 

 central zone. 



Nidification. It is resident throughout the whole of its range, and 

 breeds wherever found. I have had its eggs sent to me from Nepal taken at 

 an elevation of over 4,000 ft., and have personally taken them at elevations 

 higher than this both in the Khasia and North Cachar Hills. As a rule, 

 however, it breeds below 3,000 ft., and is conmion from this elevation down 

 to the plains. 



The nest is the usual Dove's nest of small twigs and sticks, but is better 

 put together than most, and the depression in the centre is often well formed 

 and nearly an inch in depth at the deepest point. The t-wigs of which it is 

 composed are both those which are picked up dry and such small living twigs 

 as it is able to tear from the tree, and on a few occasions I have seen twigs 

 used ^\ith a leaf or two still attached to them. Most nests %\ill be foimd 

 placed on high bushes or small saplings some five to ten feet from the ground 

 but a few may be taken from bamboo-clumps and, in the Nicobars, Davison 

 found them sometimes placed on the fronds of young coconut palms about 

 sis feet from the ground. 



I think the Bronze--ninged Dove is more particular in seeing that its 

 nest is concealed than are the Green Pigeons and other Doves which make 

 their nests in similar places, and frequently I have taken nests so well hidden 

 in thick bushes, brambles, and cane-brakes that it was \nth no little difficulty 

 they were discovered. 



Incubation is carried on impartially by both sexes and takes about twelve 

 days. The young are fed as usual by the parent-birds regurgitating food in a 

 nearly digested state. 



The eggs, always two in number, are not white but a pale cream, cafe-au- 

 lait, or fa^\■n colour, sometimes so pale that the egg appears white unless 

 placed alongside a really white egg, at other times quite a distinct buff or 

 fawn of tlie shade of dark wet sand. 



In shape they are long elliptical, a few more or less drawn out and pointed 

 at one end, and a few others very broad ellipses. 



In length the eggs vary from .95 in. (24.1 mm.) to 1.12 in. ( = 28.4 mm.) 

 and in breadth from .78 in. ( = 19.8 mm.) to .86 ( = 21.8mm.), and the average 

 of 100 eggs is 1.08 in. ( = 26.1 mm.) by .82 in. ( = 21.0 mm.). 



The breeding-season varies according to locality ; in southern India 

 and Ceylon January and February appear to be the two principal breeding- 

 months and the same in the Andamans and Nicobars. In Burma and the 

 north-eastern countries of India, March to May are the three months in which 

 most eggs may be taken, but in southern Burma and the adjacent districts, 

 January and February again seem to be the favourite months. In all parts 

 of its range, however, the Emerald Dove breeds more or less over a great 

 portion of the year, and the majority of birds undoubtedly have two broods 

 and many probably have three. 



